University of Windsor Faculty On Strike

Professors at the University of Windsor were on the picket lines in September and October after talks with the administration broke down between the faculty union and administration.

Professors carrying red-and-white Windsor University Faculty Association signs began picketing school buildings at 7 a.m. and a rally was held at 9 a.m. Afterwards, striking faculty marched around the perimeter of the campus.

WUFA president Brian Brown said the issues that led to a breakdown in talks were more than monetary.

“We are talking about the quality of education, the quality of research at this university,” Mr. Brown told hundreds of professors, students and members of other campus unions.

The two sides had been in talks past the strike deadline, but not for long. They hit an impasse and negotiations were called off. The striking union represents about 1,045 members, including full- and part-time professors and librarians. Their contract expired June 30. This is the first time in 26 years that the union has exercised its right to a work stoppage.

The strike leaves the university’s 16,000 full-time graduate and undergraduate students in academic limbo, but Mr. Brown said he hopes students will continue to support the union.

“We are hoping that they will contact the president, the administration, to tell them that they would like an agreement between the faculty association and the University of Windsor so classes can resume as soon as possible without hurting the quality of the education of the students who are here,” he said.
The last time the union went on strike, in 1982, the work stoppage lasted six days.