Wilfrid Laurier University and the Wilfrid Laurier University Faculty Association (WLUFA) have agreed to jointly ask the Ontario Ministry of Labour to appoint a conciliation officer in the current round of collective bargaining.
Conciliation is a normal part of the collective bargaining process and occurs in the majority of collective agreement negotiations. The conciliation officer's role is to act as a facilitator and assist the two sides in reaching a settlement.
The University and WLUFA bargaining teams have agreed to continue discussions while they await the appointment of a conciliation officer. The University is optimistic that the involvement of an experienced, independent third party will be helpful in resolving outstanding issues.
The University and WLUFA bargaining teams have met 22 times since the start of negotiations on Sept. 11, 2014.
The University remains committed to reaching an agreement that is in the best interests of students and the institution.
The current WLUFA contract expired June 30, 2014. The union represents approximately 580 full-time faculty and librarians at the university.
