Laurentian University faculty strike over as new agreement is ratified

The union representing faculty, librarians and counsellors at Laurentian University says a majority of its members have voted in favour of ratifying a new collective agreement, ending a three-week strike.

The Laurentian University Faculty Association says the Sudbury, Ont., school has characterized the deal as “a final ‘take it or leave it offer,’” and the union didn’t recommend accepting or rejecting the agreement.

Get breaking National news

For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen.

Union president Fabrice Colin says the new agreement is a “small step toward fairness,” and it will still leave a gap between his members’ working conditions and those of workers at other Ontario universities.

Colin says the agreement comes after years of program and job cuts and wage rollbacks, but faculty and staff are ready to go back to work.

They first walked off the job on Jan. 19 and during the strike all classes, labs, seminars and other activities were suspended.

The job action came after the northern Ontario university faced numerous financial challenges in recent years including filing for creditor protection in early 2021, resulting in major financial restructuring until late 2022.