The University of Manitoba Students’ Union (UMSU) has adopted a motion in support of the University of Manitoba Faculty Association (UMFA) and their collective bargaining demands.
Motion 0645, which was brought forward by student-at-large Victoria Romero, called for UMSU to “publicly express solidarity with UMFA and public support of their collective bargaining demands.”
The motion also called for the students’ union to “officially call on the University of Manitoba administration to accept the UMFA demands […] and express official UMSU support for UMFA to the UM administration.”
After an online meeting on March 6 that lasted over two hours — with approximately one hour that was in closed session — the UMSU board of directors voted 12-2 in support of the motion.
Voting was previously scheduled for the March 20 board of directors meeting, but the motion was called for consideration after Romero petitioned for a special meeting, as UMFA had previously set a bargaining deadline for 11:59 p.m. that day.
Romero motivated the motion, stating that its actions would also “support students.”
“If we don’t have the university supporting our faculty, then those high-quality professors and staff will leave and our quality of education will suffer.”
“By having our student union, the voice of 27,000 undergraduate students on campus, say that ‘we support UMFA,’ that puts pressure on the university and that can prevent a strike,” said Romero.
Division on motion during debate
Brett Williams, representative for the Manitoba Law Students’ Association, was the first to speak against the motion.
“I don’t think we should be supporting a union that is actively seeking to harm the student body through a strike action,” said Williams. “I think it would actually be kind of irresponsible as board members elected by students.”
He stated that it would “actively harm” international students, who may need to extend their visas if the term is prolonged from a strike, and that graduation dates might be deferred.
UMSU president Divya Sharma also spoke against the motion, stating that “I do not feel comfortable moving forward with a motion like this that explicitly supports UMFA without consulting, without having the data from students to support a side.”
“I believe if we don’t move forward with this motion, it actually allows UMSU more leverage to pressure both parties,” said Sharma. “If we take a neutral stance today, that allows us to pressure both parties, both UMFA and the university to come to a swift resolution.”
“I will note that a 16.7 per cent increase in wages is a historic number,” added Sharma, in reference to an offer from the university administration.
UMSU president Divya Sharma, seen in a file photo, spoke in opposition of Motion 0645 which sought to have UMSU “publicly express solidarity with UMFA and public support of their collective bargaining demands.”
The offer consisted of general salary increases of 11.25 per cent over four years with “structural adjustments and special adjustments” which would achieve 16.71 salary growth over four years, according to the university.
Despite the opposition, several students spoke in favour of the motion.
“We should support our faculty because, honestly, I have felt the most supported by faculty,” said Charli Feener, representative of the Students of Fine Arts Student Association. “I have not felt support by the university.”
“And I think it’s important that if they have our backs, we have theirs.”
Jonathan Lowo, representative of the Society of Earth Sciences and Environmental Students, also voiced his support, stating that supporting UMFA would be a “very, very great idea.”
“If we decide to support them now, there’s a high chance that [UMFA] can get what they want,” said Lowo. “And if we don’t support them this time around, they will keep going on strike over and over again until they get what they want.”
“Let’s consider the quality of education, the standard of education we want to keep in the university.”
Brooke Hilland, a member of the governance committee, stated that “supporting UMFA could put the onus on the administration to not be harming the students by highlighting them as the real party whose actions are behind the harm a strike might cause.”
She added that UMSU supporting the faculty association might place enough pressure on the administration to prevent, or at least shorten, a strike if it were to occur.
“That pressure we can exert on the administration will tell them that we will not be divided and conquered,” stated student-at-large Robert Johannson.
The motion was voted on by secret ballot at the request of Science Students’ Association UMSU director Sarah Pittman, seconded by Arts Student Body Council UMSU director Gurpahul Kaur.
UMFA president ‘pleased’ with support
UMFA president Erik Thomson, who attended part of the meeting, said that he was “pleased” with the outcome in an interview afterwards.
“I’m pleased on behalf of UMFA’s members that [UMSU] has voted to express solidary and support for our members’ bargaining proposals,” stated Thomson.
“I know that students are concerned about a strike and a potential interruption of classes, and would like to assure students that we are making every effort to negotiate in order to avoid a strike and an interruption of the term.”
Thomson stated that even though a bargaining deadline has been set, UMFA is “happy” to continue bargaining past that deadline.
“I recognize, too, that they see that UMFA’s conditions are their learning conditions in the long run, and so that there’s this trade-off between progress in the long term and possible pain in the short term.”
UMSU previously passed a motion in 2016 and 2021 to stand in solidarity with UMFA amid negotiations over a new collective agreement.
