Province appoints mediator to settle dispute between U of M, faculty

Manitoba’s Minister of Labour appointed a mediator to help settle a dispute between University of Manitoba academics and the administration after talks broke down on Friday.

The university’s faculty association has set a strike deadline of Tuesday, Oct. 22.

The U of M Faculty Association said talks reached an impasse over the issue of academic freedom. It said faculty members want to perform research without interference from university bureaucrats, and to voice their opinions publicly without discipline.

A spokesperson for the administration said faculty can publicly criticize the university.

In an open letter on the school's website, U of M president says the university has not put forward anything that would erode academic freedom or introduce restrictions on research.

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  The University of Manitoba Faculty Association (UMFA) and the University of Manitoba have reached a tentative four-year settlement, which will be put to a ratification vote in the coming days.