Inflation, pandemic impact faculty and staff work conditions and impact labour negotiations

Inflation and the pandemic’s impacts on work conditions have played a major factor in labour negotiations in Canadian postsecondary education, writes Joe Friesen of The Globe and Mail. The author says that faculty and staff, who are feeling tired of the pandemic work conditions and are seeing inflation impacting their cost of living, are demanding concessions in other areas if wages cannot rise alongside inflation. Universities are seeking to keep costs for students affordable. Though many labour disruptions have been resolved, more institutions will see their agreements expire in the next few months, and negotiations may be difficult. “It’s an incredibly frustrating moment for faculty,” said OPSEU bargaining unit chair JP Hornick. “We’re coming to a crisis point.” The Globe and Mail Note: Archived stories may contain dead links or be missing source links.