Brandon University professors approve four-year deal, avoid strike

The Brandon University Faculty Association's membership overwhelmingly voted in favour of a new deal with its employer, days before a looming strike deadline. (File)

After lengthy negotiations, a four-year deal has been reached between Brandon University and its professors.

School community members received a notice Thursday that the Brandon University Faculty Association (BUFA) and the Board of Governors each ratified a new four-year collective agreement.

The renewed deal covers April 1, 2023 to March 31, 2027 and was approved by the board Wednesday. The faculty association held a multi-day ratification vote that saw 95 per cent of its members voting in favour of the deal.

BUFA represents around 260 full-time and part-time faculty members and 90 contract staff.

In February, the union said negotiations were at a standstill following a dispute over language used in the previous collective agreement between faculty members and the university.

On Jan. 19, 2023, BUFA members ratified their negotiating team’s mandate to bargain for better equity, diversity, inclusion, decolonization and Indigenization language. They have also been pushing for a better workload, compensation, academic freedom and governance, according to the union.

BUFA had previously set a deadline of March 31 to have a deal in place.

According to the release, the new deal includes wage increases of 2.5 per cent, 2.75 per cent, three per cent and three per cent over the four years. It will also include a lump-sum payment of $1,800 for full-time faculty members and $900 for part-time staff.

The new collective agreement also “includes language that more equitably supports both professional and professorial members, while articulating important principles around academic freedom and detailing processes of collegial governance,” the university said in its release to the campus community.

"We know that this language likely isn't going to be perfect, but I think it was a big step forward and I think our members recognize that," said Jon-Tomas Godin, BUFA's vice-president of bargaining and grievance. "We really took the time to consult very broadly with our members and very deeply with our members." 

While the new collective agreement will officially be signed in May, it is already in effect following ratification.

"I think both sides were very happy with the outcome," Brandon University President David Docherty told CTV News. "You certainly don't want work disruption; neither side did. And you don't want to impact students and you want to make sure that the students can finish their year, and both sides were committed to that as well."