Source: Ottawa Citizen
OTTAWA: A strike by University of Ottawa professors has been averted.
Patrick Charette, a spokesman for the university, said Sunday evening that a tentative agreement had been reached between the school and more than 1,200 professors and academic librarians, who had given their union executive a strike mandate last week.
Pension-plan reforms, monetary matters and student-professor and student-librarian ratios were among the issues on the table. The university also wanted to expand the use of “teaching-focused” positions that would place heavier emphasis on teaching over research.
Charette said terms were not being released, pending ratification of the deal by the university’s board of governors and the membership of the APUO (Association of Professors of the University of Ottawa).
“We are extremely pleased to have reached a tentative settlement,” Allan Rock, president and vice-chancellor of the university, said in a statement. “This deal addresses some of the key long-standing issues, such as pension and tenure track positions. It also offers increased compensation that is in line with what other Ontario professors have received. I would like to commend all parties for their efforts and such a successful result.”
Charette said negotiations are still ongoing with the union representing the university’s support staff (SSUO-OSSTF).