Students 'divided' on U of M strike as undergraduate union votes to support professors
Students' union changes stance to support professors
The University of Manitoba Students' Union voted to support school professors in the ongoing strike amid increasing frustration and concern among the student body, says UMSU president Tanjit Nagra.
The union representing U of M's roughly 21,000 undergraduate students voted in favour of a motion to support the striking faculty association after a five-hour council meeting on Thursday and student surveys throughout the week.
"It was still very clear that students are divided," Nagra said.
In the end, UMSU council came down in support of the University of Manitoba Faculty Association with 18 voting in favour, 10 against and three abstentions, Nagra said.
The motion stated support for UMFA's demands related to workload protections, job security, childcare, and salary.
Prior to the vote, the student group had maintained a stance in favour of ending the strike as quickly as possible one way or another.
'Students are very angry'
Faculty members began striking on Nov. 1, and bargaining talks between faculty and administration have continued off-and-on since then with the help of a provincial-appointed mediator. At issue are questions of workload and professor evaluation.
More than 10 days later, Nagra said students are becoming increasingly frustrated at the lack of a resolution.
"Students are very angry," said Nagra. "At this point,we want to see the strike over as soon as possible."
On Thursday, university faculty and administration voted in favour of a framework to adjust the academic calendar that included plans for up to a five-week strike. If it lasts four weeks or more, students could lose the winter term reading week, Nagra said.
"I really hope that this makes the process faster and we're able to see students back in classrooms," she said.
Nagra said she wanted students to know UMSU values their opinions regardless of their stance on the strike, and said any student is welcome to contact her on the subject.
"At the end of the day, whether people support UMFA or not, it's really just, they want to back in the classrooms, they want to be back learning, and they want to be actually getting education for the tuition they're paying."