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University of Manitoba violated labour rights

(Ottawa — February 1, 2017) The Manitoba Labour Board has found that the University of Manitoba violated the law when it withdrew its salary offer during the 2016 negotiations.

“This ruling serves as a notice that employers still have a duty to bargain in good faith, despite government interference,” said University of Manitoba Faculty Association (UMFA)  president Janet Morrill adding that the distress this caused students, parents, and employees was unnecessary and harmful.

The University of Manitoba administration pulled its salary offer off the bargaining table just days before a strike deadline, ultimately setting the stage for what would be a three week strike. The administration claimed that it was forced to do so by the conservative provincial government.

In the decision, the Board states that, contrary to what it claimed, the administration didn’t try to dissuade the government from demanding a 0% wage increase. The Board concluded that the administration acted in bad faith by not telling UMFA about the government’s mandate and ordered the administration to apologize and pay up to $2.4 million dollars to the Association.

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