Members of the University of Manitoba Faculty Association (UMFA) have voted in favour of authorizing a strike as negotiations with the university continue over a new collective agreement.

“The primary hope is that taking the strike vote and authorizing a strike puts some pressure on administration so that they maybe will move at the table,” said UMFA president Erik Thomson in an interview on Friday, Feb. 7.

Members of the faculty association have now given the UMFA executives the power to call a strike if desired. Thomson explained that UMFA is not yet in the legal position to strike as an Essential Services Agreement under the Labour Relations Act needs to be signed, though he expects that to happen in the next week or so.

Thomson stated that UMFA and the university administration will now be entering a two-week bargaining period, though the strike authorization does not imply that a strike will be imminent — or that a strike will happen at all.

Thomson also stated that following the two-week bargaining period, if a collective agreement is not reached, that does not imply that a strike will occur. “We’ll see if there’s movement at the table […] there are bits of this that are remarkably complicated,” he said. “But at a certain point it gets to be the end of the term, so there are some time limits.”

The strike authorization vote occurred from Feb. 5-7 with voting at UMSU University Centre at the Fort Garry campus and at the Brodie Centre atrium at the Bannatyne campus. Thomson indicated that voting also took place online for those that needed accommodations.

“Anytime we take a strike vote, we’re ready and prepared to go and do what needs to be done to settle a contract,” said UMFA vice-president Jenna Tichon while tabling in UMSU University Centre. “Of course, we hope it doesn’t come to that, we very much care about the students here at the university, and we would like to be able to continue, but we need to […] be able to recruit and retain faculty. And without that, there is no real university for the students to be attending.”

Disagreements remain following January proposal

Thomson stated that as part of the resolution of the 2021 strike, the university administration indicated the desire to get the U of M to the 25th percentile in salary amongst Canada’s 15 most research-intensive universities (U15) — something that he would like to see take effect.

Thomson also expressed that UMFA is looking for an offer that would account for inflation.

In January, the university’s salary proposal to UMFA included general salary increases of 11.25 per cent over four years, in addition stipends and structural adjustments. These include a year one salary cap increase of $8,000 for professors, $2,000 for associate professors and $1,000 for assistant professors.

“The 25th percentile benchmark was set to help ensure that the university remains competitive in attracting and retaining high-caliber faculty while balancing financial sustainability and maintaining below-average tuition fees,” according to the university.

“The offer that they give, which they’re saying it aims to hit the 25th percentile, realistically keeps us at the bottom,” said Thomson. “I don’t think we would have had a strike vote if there weren’t still disagreements.”

Childcare is another issue that Thomson would like resolved — something that has been in the collective agreement since 1991, he stated. The last collective agreement stated that “the university is committed to the goal of ensuring that there is quality childcare for the children of members.”

Thomson stated that UMFA will be presenting a proposal to the administration during the week starting on Monday, Feb. 10.

Board of governors should prioritize UMFA salaries, says Thomson

Thomson stated that he would like to see the U of M board of governors, who has the authority to make monetary offers, place a “slightly higher priority” on UMFA salaries.

“Of course, we would understand if the university was in a deficit or in financial difficulties, but that’s not the case, the university has money, it’s that they choose to use it for different things,” he said in an interview in January.

According to handouts from an UMFA rally in front of the Administration Building on Jan. 23, the university has accumulated over $400 million in operating surpluses and has run annual surpluses between $40 million and $90 million for at least the past five years.

Mike Emslie with UM Financial Services confirmed that these numbers are accurate, but stated that they are not a complete picture of the university’s financial situation.

“The university does not receive adequate funding to maintain and renew its extensive buildings, roads and other capital needs,” said Emslie. “Most of the accumulated surplus has been allocated to address critical deficiencies in this infrastructure. It is also important to note that the past five years of financial results have included unprecedented disruption due to a global pandemic and significant growth in international student enrolments which contributed to unanticipated growth in revenues and deferred some expenses.

“As we face a significant decline in international student enrolments, and associated revenues, we need to consider the medium and long-term financial constraints facing the university,” he stated.

“The board of governors has made the decision, that they, I think, are happy having their faculty be at the bottom of the U15. Which may be a sense that Manitobans don’t really deserve anything but the worst paid faculty in research universities in Canada,” said Thomson. “Maybe that’s what the board of governors want to do.”

“The university continues to bargain in good faith with UMFA, with the intention of concluding a collective agreement without a labour disruption,” said the university in a statement.

The last collective agreement between UMFA and the university was in effect from April 1, 2021 to March 31, 2024. The two parties officially entered the bargaining period in January 2024 according to the university’s website, with active negotiations occurring since October 2024, according to Thomson.

“Students should keep up with their schoolwork, think that things are going on as normal and hopefully they will, because I still think that’s the most likely option,” said Thomson. “Because I hope the administration will do what’s necessary to move us along a little bit.”

— with files from Iyanda Ajuwon