Support from LUFA

On Friday August 7 LUFA members received from Dr. Sawyer a memo purporting to 
direct them regarding their obligations in the event of a strike by LUSU 
members. By now you will also know that LUSU and the Administration have 
reached a tentative settlement. LUFA congratulates both parties for their 
efforts.  Notwithstanding this however, Dr. Sawyer's memo contained a number 
of errors and, for the record, we must respond to it.
 
The memo claims that LUFA members have a clear obligation to cross any picket 
line set up by LUSU members at the entrances to the campus and it claims to 
find the source for this obligation in the LUFA/Board of Governors Collective 
Agreement.
 
 
However, Dr. Sawyer neglected to furnish members with the language of our CA 
which is the only source of obligations involving the terms and conditions of 
employment of members of faculty in the event of a strike by another Union on 
this campus. The governing article is 12.10 which states:
 
"STRIKES AND LOCKOUTS
ARTICLE 12.10 - STRIKES AND LOCKOUTS
 
12.10.1 The University and the Union hereby agree that there shall not be, 
during the currency of this Collective Agreement, any lockout by the 
University or any strike by Members of the Union.
 
 
12.10.2 A Member shall not be dismissed per Article 5.80 - Dismissal Procedures 
or disciplined per Article 5.75 - Disciplinary Measures for refusing to cross a 
picket line on campus which has been established in full compliance with 
existing laws. The Employer may, however, dock such a Member's salary by one 
three hundred and sixty-fifth (1/365) for each day lost."
 
 
 
Contrary to Dr. Sawyer's suggestion, the collective agreement does not obligate 
LUFA members to cross a picket line.  In fact, Article 12.10 clearly establishes
, an individual right for all LUFA members to determine for themselves whether 
or not they wish to cross a picket line and also clearly establishes that 
should a member choose not to cross he or she shall not be subject to 
disciplinary measures. 
 
 
The decision of whether or not to cross a picket line is protected as a matter 
to be decided by each member individually according to their own conscience and 
each member must decide by themselves and for themselves whether or not they 
will cross a LUSU picket line.
 
The collective agreement language is also clear that a member may however be 
subject to a financial penalty in the form of lost wages calculated according 
to the formula described. 
 
In light of this LUFA's position on the matter is clear: while we cannot and do 
not advocate that its members cross any picket lines on campus we will 
strenuously defend your rights to decide for yourselves how you wish to respond 
and your right to be free from disciplinary action if you personally make the 
choice not to cross a picket line


LAURENTIAN UNIVERSITY FACULTY ASSOCIATION
ASSOCIATION DES PROFESSEURES ET DES PROFESSEURS DE L'UNIVERSITE LAURENTIENNE
Ramsey Lake Road / Chemin du lac Ramsey
Sudbury, Ontario  P3E 2C6  (705) 675-1151 ext./ poste 4290
lufa@laurentian.ca / apul@laurentienne.ca
www.lufapul.ca