Capilano classes cancelled by faculty strike

A strike by faculty members has cancelled classes at Capilano University for the rest of this week, but exams are scheduled to go ahead.

Richard Gale, Capilano University academic vice-president, said he hopes a proposal that came forward from the Capilano Faculty Association (CFA) late Tuesday will lead to a settlement by Friday.

“We are looking forward to meeting with the faculty association to review it as soon as possible,” Gale said.

Gale said there will be an announcement Friday or earlier to say whether an agreement has been reached or if next week’s exam schedule will be adjusted.

“We really are focusing on making sure that students are able to complete this term,” Gale said.

The students’ union is not picking a side, said Brittany Barnes, president of the Capilano Students Union.

“There is a lot of uncertainty and a lot of stress added to a time that is already very stressful for students,” Barnes said.

Another 20 post-secondary institutions in B.C. that, like Capilano, operate under the Post Secondary Employers Association, have yet to settle their contracts. Those contracts come under the provincial “economic stability mandate” that limits public-sector wage increases to 5.5 per cent over five years.

At Capilano, faculty has agreed to the wage increase and says it is looking for movement on control over layoffs, academic freedom and fair pay for non-permanent employees.

Gale said those issues could counteract the University Act. “Anything that impinges on the authorities of the senate and of the board is something that we probably cannot agree to,” Gale said.

Faculty at Langara College voted 91 per cent in favour of a strike, but bargaining continues, said faculty association president Lynn Carter.

BCIT faculty are in the late stages of bargaining and the employer has said it will present an offer soon, said Paul Reniers, executive director of BCIT Faculty and Staff Association.