Academic staff at Brandon University were on the picket lines Sept. 29 after talks with the admin­istration broke down earlier in the month.

Faculty association president Bruce Forrest said the two sides had been in talks with a conciliator for two days before the strike deadline, but hit an impasse and negotiations were called off.

“Our members really hoped they wouldn’t have to go on strike, but 84 per cent of them approved authorizing it,” he said.

The 240 members of BUFA have been without a contract since the end of March. This is the fourth time in 10 years that the union has taken a strike vote as frustrations escalate over negotiations for new collective agreements.

“We believe that our membership deserves a good salary, a good retirement plan and good
health care benefits,” Forrest said, adding that these are the main sticking points for BUFA along with “workload and a significant language issue relating to a policy change affecting working conditions of our members.”

At press time the parties were meeting with a provincial mediator.

“We will do everything we can to avoid a prolonged labor dispute other than accepting something that we don’t think is acceptable. We continue to remain hopeful that we can find a successful resolution with the university,” Forrest said.