University students frustrated with U of L job action

Feb 14, 2022 | 4:19 PM

LETHBRIDGE, AB – University of Lethbridge students say they are caught in the middle of ongoing job action at the U of L, and they have had enough.

At a news conference on February 14, 2022, the U of L Student Solidarity Action Council (SSAC) and U of L Students Action Assembly (SAA) said they support their professors, and they are disappointed with the university’s Board of Governors.

Student Action executive, Karina Almeida, said the Board is not taking students into consideration.

“What they didn’t count on was how much our faculty means to us. They didn’t realize that once the students were aware of the situation, that we would rally around our profs, and together, let admin and the Board of Governors know that enough is enough. We are not going to take these injustices and abuse of power laying down. This is our institution. This is our education and our future and we will fight tooth and nail to protect them.”

U of L faculty members were locked out of the university on Friday, February 11 — one day after they went on strike after contract negotiations broke down.

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Student Action executive, Angie Nicoleychuk, said they’re demanding that the Board and University of Lethbridge Faculty Association (ULFA) head back to the bargaining table.

“We demand that the Board and upper administration start putting actions behind their words and put students first. We demand that they issue clarifying statements and corrections, that they publicly apologize to faculty, staff and students, and that they return to the bargaining table and conduct themselves in a manner befitting their stations going forward.”

The ULFA stated that it sent a new proposal to the Board on Saturday, along with an invitation to resume talks Monday.

Meanwhile, the Board’s Collective Bargaining Team released a statement Monday, saying the University is duty-bound to negotiate fair collective agreements, and it’s confident that job action can end through collaborative negotiation.

However, neither side has confirmed if they are back at the bargaining table, or when negotiations might resume.

by Cathy Gibson