Ottawa, November 14, 2024 – The Association of Professors of the University of Ottawa (APUO), representing just under 1,300 full-time professors and librarians, has just received a strong strike mandate from its members. Members have voted 80.9% in favour of authorizing the Executive Committee to call a strike if necessary. 1026 ballots were cast, 830 voted “Yes” and 196 voted “No,”. The strike vote was held from November 12 to 14.
“This vote is a signal to the Employer that members are prepared to trigger their first strike at this university to secure better working and learning conditions on campus,” said Dimitri Karmis, APUO President. “Receiving this strong strike mandate will help the APUO secure the best agreement for members and the university community.”
Full-time professors and librarians, represented by the Association of Professors of the University of Ottawa (APUO), have been in collective bargaining for over five months. The APUO’s and Employer’s Negotiation Teams completed a full day of mediation on October 17 and began conciliation on November 5. Both parties have agreed to continue conciliation on January 15, 16 and 17, 2025. Both sides have also agreed that neither will call for a no-board report before January 15. The University’s continued refusal to seriously negotiate on key proposals that would protect high quality education and research at uOttawa pushed the union to seek a strike mandate from its members.
Due to the timelines associated with the conciliation process, the earliest possible timing for a strike would be the first week of February 2025. APUO members have never before been on strike and have only voted in favour of a strike once before, in 2013. This strong strike mandate reflects the importance of the issues under negotiation to faculty and librarians, particularly those pertaining to the deteriorating teaching and learning conditions at the university.
About the APUO
The Association of Professors of the University of Ottawa (APUO) is a professional association and certified union, representing just under 1,300 full-time professors, librarians, language teachers, and Continuing Special Appointments Professors (CSAP).
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Nicole Desnoyers
Communications, Mobilization, and Research Officer
nicole@apuo.ca
613-695-2368
www.apuo.ca
@APUOtt