ULFA members and supporters during a demonstration on Feb. 18, 2022. (Lethbridge News Now)

By David Opinko/LethbridgeNewsNOW

Without a contract for 622 days

Enhanced mediation to start Tuesday between U of L and faculty

Mar 14, 2022 | 4:51 PM

LETHBRIDGE, AB – A mediator is set to step in early this week to try to help the University of Lethbridge Board of Governors (the board) and the University of Lethbridge Faculty Association (ULFA) reach a new agreement.

Educators at the university have been without a contract for 622 days after their most recent collective agreement expired on June 30, 2020.

Talks have been largely unsuccessful thus far, resulting in faculty members being on strike for more than one full month now.

READ MORE: University of Lethbridge Faculty on strike

David Jones will serve as the mediator for both parties beginning Tuesday, March 15. He is expected to meet with the board and ULFA at least two more times this week.

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READ MORE: U of L and Faculty enter ‘enhanced mediation’ as strike surpasses three weeks

On Friday, March 11, the ULFA provided an update on its plans for these sessions.

“The ULFA negotiating team is now focused on preparing briefing documents to be shared with the mediator and the Board negotiating team in advance of the commencement of mediation next week. These documents outline ULFA’s proposals for a new collective agreement as well as issues ULFA proposes to include in a return-to-work protocol.”

The board and ULFA have not been able to come to terms on several items including pay, respect, and other working conditions.

Heading into mediation, the two sides have been clear to state that this process will not guarantee that a new deal will be reached.

During the strike, classes and other services at the university have been cancelled, leaving many students to wonder what will happen with their semester.

Lethbridge-East MLA Nathan Neudorf is among the public officials who are calling for the strike to come to an end for the sake of students who have invested significant amounts of time, money and effort into their education.

READ MORE: MLA Neudorf clarifies U of L statements as strike surpasses one month