CANADIAN ASSOCIATION OF UNIVERSITY TEACHERS
ULFA ratifies new agreement, ending historic strike

The University of Lethbridge Faculty Association (ULFA) announced on March 21 that members have ratified a new collective agreement, ending a five-week strike.

ULFA entered discussions with the University of Lethbridge board of governor's negotiators last week, for the first time since the strike and lock-out that started on February 10. It was ULFA's first-ever job action.

"It is an agreement that we can be proud of," said Dan O'Donnell, president of ULFA. "It is not what we would want to see in terms of finances because of extreme meddling on the part of the provincial government but is now in line with others in the sector. Importantly, we've made major gains in terms of equity, diversity and inclusion."

In ratifying the agreement, ULFA members expressed frustration with provincial interference in the negotiations.

"I voted yes to the #ULFA deal but I did it with a heavy heart," said one member on Twitter over the weekend. "The job action built a lot of solidarity b/c interference from UCP [the provincial government] was absolutely the breaking point for many of us."