Revue de presse

After suspending job action for eight months

Lecturers at UQTR Resume Strike

(at Trois-Rivières, Quebec, Wednesday, November 8, 2000) - As of 8:30 this morning (Wednesday) the Lecturers of the University of Quebec at Trois-Rivières are on strike. The strike will affect 573courses at University of Quebec in Trois-Rivières, about half of all courses offered this semester.

The Lecturers wish to resume the negotiations which broke off ten weeks ago. In spite of the efforts of a Department of Labour conciliator, UQTR has not met with the Union since August 23, 2000. The Lecturers have been without a contract since June 1, 1999.

The main issues in dispute concern the way academic work is organized (the need to stabilize the employment of the Lecturers, who are teaching as much or more than regular Faculty); the lack of office space, voice mail and other services necessary to the support of students; the role of Lecturers in the University; and salary.

The Lecturers' Union (CUPE-QFL) is convinced that the time is right to address these issues. On October 23, the UQTR Administrative Council adopted the second version of its proposed development contract ("contrat de développement"), La réussite scolaire et professionnelle des étudiants (Student Academic and Professional Achievement). In this official document UQTR acknowledges for the first time that, in the years to come, 47% of courses will be taught by Lecturers. The University has unequivocally recognized the important role that Lecturers will play at UQTR and in so doing may have smoothed the way to useful discussions at the bargaining table, in the Union's view.

The Lecturers suspended their strike of last February after one week, in order "to give negotiations a chance". UQTR then tried to force the Union's hand by threatening to cancel most of Summer Session if the offer on the table were not accepted by March 31. On April 1, Union members rejected the offer, describing it as "insulting". A week later, management announced the cancellation of 138 of the 189 scheduled Summer Session courses.

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