Collective Bargaining at Laurentian University

Dear members of the Laurentian University community,

Following a membership vote yesterday, the Laurentian University Faculty Association (LUFA) has announced that LUFA members ratified a new collective agreement. This agreement has now also been ratified by the Board of Governors.

The University will begin planning for a resumption of academic activities. Before they can resume, a meeting of the University Senate must take place to formalize a plan for the remainder of the semester. It will take at least 48 hours from the time of this email for Senate to convene, and then some additional time for the plan to be communicated to all members of the Laurentian community.

This means that academic activities may have to take place during the week of February 17, previously scheduled as Reading Week. Final confirmation will be provided once Senate has passed its decision. We can, however, state that no classes will take place on Family Day, February 16.

Once the plan has been communicated, students who are not currently located in Sudbury and who are studying in person should plan to return to campus as soon as possible.

While we will not know how the academic semester will proceed until the Senate meeting has taken place, priorities will be to:

• Resume classes, labs and practica as soon as possible, respecting the need for travel time for some students and planning time for faculty members; and
• Maintain the current class schedule and end date of the academic term.

We welcome faculty members back to campus life and want to thank all members of the University community for their patience and understanding during this labour disruption. We will provide further information about the resumption of academic activities as it becomes available.

Dear members of the Laurentian University community,

Following two days of mediation, the Laurentian University Faculty Association has confirmed that they will be sharing the outcome of the mediation with its membership for vote this coming weekend and potential ratification.

The University remains hopeful that the current labour stoppage will be resolved and that classes could resume as early as the middle of next week. We will continue to provide updates as they become available.

Dear members of the Laurentian University community,

Following discussions at the Ontario Labour Relations Board between the Laurentian University Faculty Association (LUFA) and Laurentian University yesterday, the parties have agreed to return to the bargaining table for negotiations today and tomorrow (February 3 and 4).

These negotiations will be supported by a mediator as both parties continue to work towards a new collective agreement.

We will provide further updates as soon as they become available.

Wells: The only way forward for Laurentian is together

Over the past five years, the Laurentian University community has made remarkable progress in ensuring the institution’s reputation as an important place for higher education in the North. The faculty, staff, students, administration, the Board of Governors, and our many supporters have come together to build upon the proud 60-year history of excellent teaching, high-impact research, and community engagement that preceded the University’s insolvency.

Laurentian’s restructuring marked  a dire chapter in the University’s history, when the possibility of institutional closure was real. Laurentian’s faculty, students, and staff were all affected, in addition to many creditors of the University, and there were reverberations throughout Greater Sudbury, Northern Ontario and the post-secondary sector.

Those who experienced first-hand the restructuring that addressed the University’s insolvency know the difficult choices that were made to provide the University with a sustainable path forward, a journey we are still on today.

It’s clear to me that pain and anger persist due to the legacy of Laurentian’s insolvency, and I have heard some of these emotions expressed since the strike began.

Although I wasn’t at the University at that time, I have been deeply affected by the stories I have heard about what it was like to be part of that experience. Students didn’t know if their programs would continue and whether they would be able to complete their studies. Faculty and staff feared for their jobs and many, sadly, were let go. I understand the powerlessness that many people felt in the choices that were presented.

The restructuring process was the response to - not the cause of - the University’s financial crisis. Decisions were made by previous administrations over the prior decade that led to intractable financial difficulties, and that history has understandably created some distrust of the current administration. For that I am sorry, and I am working every day to do what I can to re-establish a trusting relationship.

The reality of 2021 was that the University had no funds to operate and no ability to address its financial hurdles, as a result of various decisions that had been made during the prior decade. The solution necessitated a difficult series of negotiations and agreements with many stakeholders, including the association representing faculty. Those agreements set the University on a path to recovery, and all parties must continue to operate within them. The agreements include obligations to demonstrate ongoing prudent stewardship of the University’s budget and to meet financial benchmarks that will ensure the long-term sustainability of the institution.

The University is doing everything it can to bring an end to the strike. It cannot afford what the Faculty Association has asked for at the bargaining table, which far exceeds our financial means. We have put forward in good faith our best offer possible for improved salaries, pensions, and workload within the funds that we are able to commit to bargaining a new collective agreement with the Faculty Association. We believe that our proposal is generous and recognizes the hard work and value of our faculty colleagues. Having emerged from the turbulent period of financial insolvency, we have a responsibility to work within the established parameters and to make decisions that will support the University's long-term viability. To do otherwise would be to repeat the mistakes of the past.

Laurentian’s management team has been substantially renewed and the current leaders are committed to continuing to restore Laurentian – for the benefit of its students, faculty,  employees, and the entire Sudbury community.                                              

We can’t undo the past, but we should learn from it as we work together to build the future. We’re already making progress, even against the backdrop of a postsecondary sector facing more financial pressure than ever before. Despite everything that has happened, Laurentian isn’t immune to these challenges. Our difficult choices are not just behind us or ahead of us, but are now integral to our identity as an institution.

Ensuring that Laurentian University is strong for the future is not a given. It is a choice we must make every day. We need to find a way to move forward together.

Lynn Wells 
President & Vice-Chancellor
Laurentian University

Dear members of the Laurentian University community,

Thank you for your patience during the current disruption. The University’s foremost priority is to get students back to class as soon as possible by finding a deal that is both fair for LUFA members and financially sustainable for Laurentian.

Before the parties reached an impasse on Sunday, the University presented its strongest possible offer, one that provides substantive gains for LUFA members.

The University’s package reflects both the institution’s commitment to its faculty and the realities of its ongoing financial recovery following restructuring under the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act (CCAA).

• The salary proposal exceeds what other faculty associations in the province have agreed to in 2025.
• The University has also offered improvements to pension benefits, beyond those communicated last week. Laurentian’s pension plan is robust, secure, and affordable. It outperforms other pension plans and many employee groups have a stake in it. The University is committed to discussing the plan’s future, including the potential transition to other plans, if all employee groups are engaged.
• Further, the University has also proposed meaningful changes to address some of LUFA’s concerns related to workload.

The total offer is fair, reasonable, and sustainable in the current circumstances. Even this best offer will require significant efforts to ensure the University can continue to balance its budget through the final years of the collective agreement. LUFA’s demands would compromise the University’s immediate and long-term financial sustainability.

The University has a duty to preserve the institution’s financial health for the benefit of its students, employees, and retirees, especially in light of the difficult times Laurentian faced a few years ago and the current state of the post-secondary sector. Our primary responsibility is to make sure that Laurentian University is strong for the future.

The University stands ready to return to the bargaining table to negotiate in good faith an agreement that is fair to LUFA members and also ensures Laurentian University is strong for the future. We urge LUFA leadership to do the same.

Dear members of the Laurentian University community,

With today’s update we are sharing information on campus events including Model Parliament, the SPAD Hockey Tournament, and the Goodman Gold Challenge. All of these events are taking place, in addition to events on campus that have been planned by our student success team.

Beginning next week, we will continue to provide regular updates when new information becomes available. This will likely be less frequent than the daily updates that have been provided thus far.

The FAQ continues to be updated and now includes 60 questions, with new questions added on the topics of students, research, and admissions.

Model Parliament

Beginning tomorrow, our students will be in Ottawa for the annual Model Parliament. The 2026 edition will welcome multiple alumni guest speakers as student leaders take on the roles of leading the government and political parties. This unique event is led by volunteers and students, enabling them to experience politics directly in Canada’s Parliament.

SPAD Hockey

Another annual event and staple of the January calendar, the 49th annual SPAD hockey tournament begins in just a few hours and runs through the weekend. Twelve teams of students and alumni will test themselves at the Carmichael Arena. The event is supported by multiple community sponsors and all are welcome to attend.

Goodman Gold Challenge

Next week, the 8th annual Goodman Gold Challenge will see multiple teams from competing universities visit Sudbury for this unique mining challenge where the winners will leave with four ounces of gold. The competition will run from Wednesday to Friday and is supported by many corporate sponsors.

Other Upcoming Events:

• Jan 31 - Voyageurs Basketball Double Header
• Feb 3 - Grounded in History, Growing in Joy: A Black Futures Conference
• Feb 3 - Career Fair Conference
• Feb 6 - Laurentian Spirit Night at the Sudbury Wolves
• Feb 6 - AfroBeats Dance Workshop 

Dear members of the Laurentian University community,

With today’s update we are sharing information relevant to international students and online students specifically. As far as negotiations are concerned, since we mutually agreed that we were at an impasse on Sunday, neither party has yet made a request to resume negotiations.

Discussion with International Students

We would like to thank the 80+ international students who joined us yesterday during our online discussion about the strike. The session included a summary of the key questions students have been asking about the potential impact of the strike on immigration status, supports available, and expectations for assignments.

As a reminder to all students, during the strike you are not expected to submit assignments, perform quizzes, participate in group discussions, or perform any course-related work.

There are plans for similar sessions at 10:00 AM on Thursday and Friday of this week. The Immigration Advisory Team is also available this week from 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM for drop-in sessions within their office at Room 210 of the Parker Building.

Online Students

A number of questions have been raised by online students about expectations for their work during the strike. We would like to take this opportunity to remind all online students that, regardless of an individual faculty member’s instructions before the strike, you are also not required to continue to submit assignments, perform quizzes, participate in group discussions, or perform any course-related work. Once faculty members return to work, they will be given time to reassess assignment deadlines and adjust as needed, depending on the length of the disruption.

While D2L remains open for students to continue reading materials at their own pace, this is entirely optional.

Thanks to the staff within the Laurentian Online team who have been supporting students throughout the strike. Should you have any questions, please reach out to them at online@laurentian.ca 

Dear members of the Laurentian University community,

As you know, members of the Laurentian University Faculty Association (LUFA) went on strike beginning Monday. This choice follows several weeks of discussions between union negotiators and the University, including the involvement of a mediator for several days in recent weeks.  

The University has committed to daily updates to the University community throughout the week. Within this update, we will share information about two topics: the online discussion with students that took place yesterday, and resources available to staff.

Discussion with Students

We would like to thank the roughly 200 students and parents who joined us during our online discussion about the strike yesterday afternoon. We covered a wide range of questions, some of which we have definitive answers for, and others that we will only be able to answer once the strike has ended. For the benefit of those who may not have been able to attend this session, we share below the questions most commonly asked by students and their parents. We have added a number of these to our online FAQ.

Top Questions from students

• Will my assignment deadlines be impacted? Should I continue to work on my classes during the disruption?
  • During a strike, LUFA members will not be working and will not be teaching, marking, or otherwise evaluating and receiving student assignments. Students are not expected to work on their courses during a labour disruption. Once faculty members return to work, they will be given time to reassess assignment deadlines and adjust as needed, depending on the length of the disruption.
• Can I continue my placement, internship, co-op, or clinical placement? How will my placement hours be made-up once the strike is over?
  • Many placements, especially those in Business, will continue. Other placements that cannot take place without faculty supervision will stop temporarily during the strike.
  • Once the strike is over, faculty members will be able to reassess placement requirements and create a plan for students to complete their requirements.
  • The details of your placement are entirely dependent on which program you are in. Please consult the FAQ section to see the specific information for your program. If you are still unsure, please contact your Dean’s Office:
    • Faculty of Arts
      • Arts@laurentian.ca
    • Faculty of Education and Health
      • dean-educationandhealth@laurentian.ca
    • Faculty of Science, Engineering, andArchitecture
      • SEA@laurentian.ca
    • Faculty of Management
      • Dean-Management@laurentian.ca
    • Faculty of Graduate Studies:
      • graduatestudies@laurentian.ca
• What is the minimum notice time that students would receive before classes resume
  • This will depend on the situation. We recognize that some students may choose to return home if they live outside of Sudbury during the strike and may need time to return to campus.
• Could Reading Week be cancelled or rescheduled? Could the semester be extended?
  • We understand that these are important questions for students planning their studies. Unfortunately, this is not something we can predict at the moment. We will provide information about this possibility as soon as we are able.

There are plans for similar sessions in the future. The details will be communicated to students by email at the appropriate time.

Staff Resources

This can be a challenging situation for University staff. At all times, staff members have access to confidential mental health support via the Employee & Family Assistance Program. This program is offered through Telus Health, is available 24 hours a day, and provides qualified support for your mental, physical, social and financial health.

Finally, a word of thanks and recognition to all of our community members who have been helping each other during this time, from supporting one another to helping others find the answers to important questions. Your help is appreciated.

Going Forward

The University has tabled an offer that is fair, reasonable, and sustainable in the circumstances. The University’s proposed salary increases are beyond what is normative in the sector, and our offer includes improvements to pension benefits, in addition to those which were already approved by the Board of Governors and communicated last week.

In challenging economic times for universities, the Administration and Board must ensure that a new collective agreement will not compromise all the hard work that has been done to move the University forward over the past few years. Our primary responsibility is to make sure that Laurentian University is strong for the future.

We will continue to provide daily updates over the course of the week. We also continue to update the list of frequently asked questions and encourage all Laurentian University community members to read through it carefully.

If you have any questions that are not contained in the FAQ, please communicate with your student association representatives.

Dear members of the Laurentian University community,

As you know, members of the Laurentian University Faculty Association (LUFA) went on strike beginning at 12:01 AM this morning. This choice follows several weeks of discussions between union negotiators and the University, including the involvement of a mediator for several days in recent weeks.

Those accessing campus should expect to face some delays at picket lines. Remember that picketers have a right to picket, and that this is a legal labour disruption involving our fellow community members.

Students are not expected to work on tests or assignments during a strike, as LUFA members will not be marking or otherwise evaluating student work. Once faculty members return to work, they will be given time to reassess assignment deadlines and adjust as needed, depending on the length of the disruption. We will make every effort to support our students through the strike, and Laurentian University remains firmly committed to the academic success of its students.

LUFA members have remained committed to Laurentian, and we have a deep appreciation for their efforts in restoring Laurentian to its current status and in charting its future. We continue our commitment to negotiating in good faith to find an agreement that is fair to LUFA members while protecting the long-term financial sustainability of the University.

The University has tabled an offer that is fair, reasonable, and sustainable in the circumstances. The University’s proposed salary increases are beyond what is normative in the sector, and our offer includes improvements to pension benefits, in addition to those which were already approved by the Board of Governors and communicated last week.

In challenging economic times for universities, the Administration and Board must ensure that a new collective agreement will not compromise all the hard work that has been done to move the University forward over the past few years. Our primary responsibility is to make sure that Laurentian University is strong for the future.

We will continue to provide daily updates as to the status of negotiations over the course of the week. We also continue to update the list of frequently asked questions and encourage all Laurentian University community members to read through it carefully.

If you have any questions that are not contained in the FAQ, please communicate with your student association representatives.

Dear members of the Laurentian University community,

As shared in our previous message, the Laurentian University Faculty Association (LUFA) has informed the University that its members plan to withhold their services and begin a strike on January 19 at 12:01 AM. Unfortunately, an agreement has not yet been reached and we anticipate the strike will begin on Monday morning.

Once the strike begins, our campus will remain open. However, all Laurentian University classes will be suspended temporarily. Classes, labs, seminars and other activities led by faculty members and instructors both online and in-person will stop temporarily, but activities led by University staff (non-LUFA) will continue, including most student services. Non-credit Additional Qualifications courses and professional development courses, offered by the Centre for Teaching and Continuing Learning, will continue to be offered.

This is not the outcome we had hoped for, and we understand that these events will provoke a range of emotions. To our students, staff and faculty, please know that Laurentian University is fully committed to supporting you through this disruption.

To our students, their parents and families, Laurentian University remains committed to your academic success. Once this strike ends, the necessary arrangements will be made to ensure that you can finish your academic term and your studies. What this looks like will depend on the duration of the strike, and we do not know that at this time. We will make every effort to support our students through this process. Student services will remain open during the strike.

To our international students who might be worried about their visa status and how it might be impacted by this strike, please consult the Frequently Asked Questions or reach out to International Student Services (international@laurentian.ca). We are here to answer your questions.

To our staff, we know you may be concerned about this turn of events. The University remains open during the strike. Non-LUFA staff continue to work and will continue to get paid according to the memo that was sent on January 15. Things on campus will look a bit different - there will be fewer students around, and there may be picket lines - but we will continue to do what we can during this time and focus on returning to normal operations as soon as possible.

We acknowledge the critical role that LUFA members play both inside and outside of the classroom. We recognize that the University community has been through a tremendously difficult few years. LUFA members have remained committed to Laurentian, and we have a deep appreciation for their efforts in restoring Laurentian to its current status and in charting its future. We continue our commitment to negotiating in good faith to find an agreement that is fair to LUFA members while protecting the long-term financial sustainability of the University.

The University has tabled an offer that is fair, reasonable, and sustainable in the circumstances. The University’s proposed salary increases are beyond what is normative in the sector, and our offer includes improvements for LUFA members in key areas.

In challenging economic times for universities, the Administration and Board must ensure that a new collective agreement will not compromise all the hard work that has been done to move the University forward over the past few years. Our primary responsibility is to make sure that Laurentian University is strong for the future.

The University remains open and willing to continue negotiations if LUFA will return to the bargaining table. We will provide daily updates as to the status of negotiations over the course of the next week. We also continue to update the list of frequently asked questions and encourage all Laurentian University community members to read through it carefully.

If you have any questions that are not contained in the FAQ, please communicate with your student association representatives or simply reply to this email.