All tasks must be stopped, with some exceptions. So there, we have over 1,900 classes affected by the strike for the next two weeks. Specifies the president of the Union of Professors of Laval University (SPUL), Louis-Philippe Lampron, in an interview on the program First hour.
Beginning of the professors’ strike at Laval University
On the first day of the strike, the teachers demonstrate on campus. On his social networks, the union president, representing around 1,300 members, called on teachers to join the demonstration massively.
The collective agreement expired on 1is December 2022. Negotiations, which began on September 1 with the management of Laval University, needed to find common ground. Management and the union will continue their discussions during the strike.
Since September, 14 meetings have taken place, and nine more are planned by March 3, underlines the executive vice-rector and vice-rector for human resources and finances, André Darveau, in a press release. At the request of management, a conciliator was also appointed to the negotiating table at the end of January.
Four main points are at the centre of the SPUL’s demands, work overload, the increase in salaries, greater participation in the development of the main orientations of the establishment and the protection of vulnerable employees.
Impact on mid-term
Therefore, the teaching and learning activities offered by professors affiliated with the SPUL are interrupted until March 3 inclusively, whether they are taught face-to-face, in hybrid mode or at a distance.
When we saw that an impasse was emerging at the table, we tried to make our problems visible and explain them to the students so that they realized that, in our view, the problems we were trying to solve directly affected the learning condition. and successassures Louis-Philippe Lampron.
Activities offered by other staff will take place as normal. The lecturers are part of a different accreditation, so when they are responsible for a course, they can continue to give their course despite the strike supporting the union president.
CADEUL neutral
The association of undergraduate students, CADEUL, has not taken a position on the strike; it says it is neutral. It mainly centres its activities around communicating information to its student members and defending their rights.
We want to reduce the impact on the semester and ensure that everything goes well for the return to class and the mid-term exams, says the president of CADEUL, Vickie Bourque. She specifies that some exams can still be done according to the arrangements made at the beginning of the session.
The association also wants to avoid an extension of the university session at all costs, which could have consequences on the progress of several student community members.
Currently, the University plans to keep the semester schedule the same. The question arises often, and I want to reassure you that the reading week will take place as planned. We are not considering an extension of the session either. Such a scenario would be a last-resort solution to ensure the quality of the lessons received during the session. Mentions the management of the University.
