Work to rule initiated by TRU Faculty

Jan 14, 2016 | 6:38 AM

KAMLOOPS — Members of the Thompson Rivers University Faculty Association will launch job action this morning (January 14) at 8:00am.

President Tom Friedman says the action won’t be a full scale picket, and won’t impact students or classes.

Friedman says the job action will be a wake up call for administration.

WATCH ABOVE: Updated video with reaction from both sides in the dispute. 

The union announced that its members will start work to rule action this morning.

It will limit communications and contact between faculty and the Provost and the Vice-President of Academics office.     

TRUFA and TRU administrators have mediation sessions scheduled throughout the weekend, but if mediator Mark Brown believes the two sides are too far apart, the sessions could be cancelled.

Meantime, the university has posted its characterizations of the two bargaining positions on its website today.

They include contentions that the union is looking for a total of 45.9 per cent in changes to the salary scale – compared to the university’s offer of a 5.5 per cent wage increase over five years.

Vice-President of Administration and Finance Matt Milovick says he is confident in the accuracy of the proposals printed on the website.

Friedman says the 45.9 per cent number is not accurate, but also says wages are not the main point of contention between the two sides.