UPEI Community Bulletin: UPEI FA strike vote set for February 13 and 14
The following message is being distributed by UPEI Communications to UPEI employees and students on behalf of the University.
We understand that students and employees continue to have questions and concerns about a potential job action by UPEI Faculty Association (UPEI FA) members and we wanted to update you as the week starts with the information available at this time.
We have learned through social media that UPEI FA members will take a strike vote on Monday, February 13, and Tuesday, February 14. This does not mean there will be a strike immediately, but it is the next step in this process for the UPEI FA and is necessary before job action can occur. The UPEI FA’s ability to strike is based on a mandate from its members—this mandate is based on the number of members who have cast a vote, not on the total number of members.
Please be assured that the University remains committed to reaching a settlement through any avenue, including interest arbitration, with the goal of achieving a mutually beneficial agreement without labour disruption.
In the meantime, we have to prepare for the possibility of a labour disruption. Plans for university operations in the event of a strike are being finalized.
As more information becomes available for students, employees, and visitors, it will be posted on upei.ca/labour. All our past communications about the status of University-Faculty Association negotiations can be found on this site. As specific details become available, more FAQs will be added so check often for updates.
We understand that students and other members of the UPEI community may be unsure about what is happening and anxious about how the winter academic semester will be affected by a potential job action. Students and employees should continue to check their official UPEI email accounts for updates.
Please know that there are supports available for you at this time. If you need assistance, UPEI has a number of resources for students through UPEI Student Affairs, including personal counselling (studentserv@upei.ca), and the International Student Office (irostu@upei.ca). UPEI faculty and staff can access resources on the HR site on myUPEI while eligible employees can call the Employee Assistance Program at 1-800-387-4765 for support.
