Three professors at Vancouver Island University’s Nanaimo campus have been crossing the picket lines for the past three weeks, even though the faculty association has been on strike nearly a month.
Dan McDonald, faculty association president, said the three are not members of the union – professors are not required to join VIUFA – and he believes all three are in the recreation and tourism management program.
“I don’t think it’s a concern in terms of the solidarity of the strike,” he said. “It’s such a small number and as far as I can tell, they’re not holding classes on campus.”
More than 600 faculty association members are respecting the picket lines, McDonald added.
VIU spokeswoman Toni O’Keeffe said the university didn’t know some professors had chosen to go back to work, but if they have and they submit grades, the university will accept them.
“We aren’t encouraging faculty to do that,” she said.
O’Keeffe said the institution was aware of two international students who made arrangements to send in final papers to their professors because they had to fly home.
Meanwhile, the university and the faculty association continue contract negotiations.
McDonald said administrators are looking over a new package on contract language the association presented at about 2:30 a.m. Tuesday and talks were scheduled to resume Wednesday.
