PRINCE GEORGE — Still no deal to end the strike at UNBC.
Special mediator Trever Sones, appointed earlier this week by BC Labour Minister Harry Bains, adjourned the bargaining process last night after extensive bargaining periods Wednesday and Thursday.
He is expected to issue a report on those talks in the coming days.
“I look forward to that report and I hope it’s helpful in moving things along,” says Dr. Daniel Weeks, president and vice-chancellor at UNBC. “I don’t know what his conclusions will be, I just hope he’s got enough insight and was able to do what he needed to do to give us a bit of a hand here to get us to the finish line.”
Despite the adjournment of talks, the UNBC Faculty Association says “the employer agreed to remove and sign off nine articles from their package offer in the last two days.” The UNBCFA says eight articles remain to be negotiated.
As for everyone inconvenienced by the strike, Weeks says “he feels” for them.
“First of all, to not only our students but to our broader community as well – our CUPE workers that are caught up in this – I feel for them deeply and our students and our whole community at large.”
He adds he still hopes “we can salvage any days left to try and really make the best of this academic year.”
“I know it’s frustrating to get a daily update, we’re trying our best and I know the FA is too – we’re trying our best to not lose any academic days if we can. So I know we’ve probably pushed everyone’s patience to the limit but I’m asking for more. We’re doing our very best.”
The strike began on November 7.
