UWFA chief negotiator steps down, strike deadline pushed back

In the same day that included a march for University of Winnipeg Faculty Association (UWFA) solidarity, news was released Monday that the strike deadline would be pushed back to Thursday, March 10th and 12:01 AM.

The new deadline is to provide the province’s conciliator time to gather information about the failed agreements. Talks broke down on Saturday, with both sides agreeing to ask the province to bring in a third party mediator.

Over the weekend Wendy Josephson, chief negotiator for the UWFA, stepped down from her position. She will be replaced by a negotiator from the Canadian Association of University Teachers (CAUT).

“She finished her time and we thank her for the time she spent with us. We can understand why she would want to resume normal academic activities,” said Shannon Sampert, the UWFA’s media spokesperson.

Sampert adds that Josephson realized she wasn’t going to get any further in negotiations with the university administration, and saw the need for someone else to step in.

The quality of our university should be measured by the quality of the professors, not the building.

John Macleod Arnould, University of Winnipeg Students’ Association

Meanwhile, over a hundred students and staff marched in support of the UWFA. The walk took place from the university’s Portage Avenue campus to the headquarters of the UWFA headquarters at 309 Balmoral Street over lunch hour.

At the headquarters, University of Winnipeg Students’ Association (UWSA) art director John Macleod Arnould gave a passionate speech highlighting the concerns of students about the quality of the education at the U of W.

“The quality of our university should be measured by the quality of the professors, not the building,” said Macleod Arnould.

Member dues from the UWFA are financing the rental of the space, which sits across the street from Wesley Hall.

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