Collective Bargaining at Laurentian University

8. Is it safe for Laurentian community members to cross a picket line?
   1. Yes. Everyone is legally entitled to cross the picket line and their safety should not be jeopardized in any way. If you see or experience any inappropriate behaviour, please contact Campus Security (705-673-6562) or speak to your manager. We also encourage you to download the free “SecurLU-UL”  app for regular updates.
   2. When crossing a picket line:
      1. Be patient. Proceed carefully and do not rush.
      2. Be prepared to say who you are and where you work.
      3. Do not enter into debate or discussion with the picketers.
      4. Do not antagonize the picketers, or respond to threats or taunts.
   3. If a picket line is in place, it may cause delays on Ramsey Lake Road and South Bay Road, especially near campus entrances. Please assume that all picket line activity may be filmed, so video of you crossing the picket line may be taken. Remember that picketers have a right to picket, and you have a right to cross the picket line. This is a legal labour disruption involving our fellow community members. Please remember to remain respectful.
       
9. What are picketers entitled to do?
   1. Picketers engaged in a strike are permitted to communicate their views, carry signs, speak to people entering the property about their concerns, and to ask anyone to honour their picket line.
   2. They are not permitted to:
      1. Delay vehicles from entering and exiting the property for significant periods of time (anywhere from 5-15 minutes may be seen as excessive);
      2. Block or obstruct in any manner an entrance or exit, or construct barriers as would limit free passage to the University. This includes blocking or obstructing the passage of required vehicles such as University vehicles, supplier or contractor vehicles, buses, etc.
      3. Interfere with employees who wish to work and are crossing the picket line;
      4. Be violent, assault, threaten or make threatening gestures, damage property, defame, or harass on the picket line or at staging areas.
   3. If you witness any of the above, you are asked to report it to your manager or to Campus Security. You are also required to complete a Strike Incident Report Form. Be sure to include the time and location of the incident, as well as the offending picketers’ names (if known).
       
10. What do I do if my way is blocked?
    1. Attempt to speak politely to the picketers. Explain your legal right to cross.
    2. If the picketers do not respond and continue to block your way, ask for their names and contact your supervisor for instructions.
    3. If the picketer will not give their names, note the date, time, exact location, and a description of the picketer.
    4. Attempt to enter the grounds by another entrance. If this is unsuccessful, contact your manager for instructions.
    5. If at any point you feel threatened or unsafe, do not attempt to force your way through. Withdraw and contact your supervisor.
    6. Avoid confrontation or escalation. Do not attempt to physically move picketers or engage in arguments.
        
11. Where are the picket lines?
    1. The picket lines will likely be set up at the main entrances to campus, which are at the intersection of Ramsey Lake Road and University Road as well as at the intersection of South Bay Road and Voyageur Drive. A picket line may also be organized at the McEwen School of Architecture.
        
12. How long do I have to wait at a picket line? Can I leave if the line is too long?
    1. You should expect delays when crossing a picket line. Please be patient and do not leave your vehicle while waiting to cross the picket line. While managers will be asked to make reasonable allowances for employees who are late due to picketing, give yourself plenty of time to arrive at work on time. The University will continue to monitor the situation. If you experience any issues on the picket line, please contact Campus Security or your manager.
        
13. People on the picket line are handing out flyers and want to talk to me. What should I do?
    1. You are not obligated to communicate with the people on the picket line, nor are you required to accept any materials they may present to you. Please remain respectful and remember that this is a legal labour disruption involving our fellow community members.
        
14. Will City of Greater Sudbury buses be operating to and from campus?
    1. Greater Sudbury Transit has confirmed that public transit, with the exception of Handitransit, will not cross picket lines. People using transit should plan for additional time in case there are delays. Please note that all regular bus stops on the roads surrounding campus (Ramsey Lake Road, South Bay Road) will be serviced as normal during a labour disruption.
    2. Laurentian University has planned for a shuttle bus to provide transit near the bus stops to campus buildings.
    3. For those with a mobility device who may not be able to board the shuttle bus, please contact Security at 705-673-6562. 

15. Are classes and labs cancelled?
    1. Yes. Classes, labs, seminars, thesis defences, comprehensive examinations, and other activities led by faculty members and instructors stop temporarily in case of a strike. Activities led by University staff will continue, including most student services.
    2. Non-credit Additional Qualifications courses and professional development courses, offered by the Centre for Teaching and Continuing Learning, will continue to be offered.
        
16. Are classes cancelled for online for-credit students as well?
    1. Yes. All classes led by faculty members and instructors, including online for-credit classes, will stop temporarily during a labour disruption. Access to D2L will continue.
        
17. Can I communicate with my instructor during a labour disruption?
    1. Faculty members will not be performing any part of their work during a labour disruption, including communicating with students.
        
18. Will my assignment deadlines be impacted? Should I continue to work on my classes during the disruption?
    1. 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. 
        
19. Will the University be open during a strike?
    1. Yes. The campus will remain open, though some on-campus activities may be disrupted. Activities led by University staff will continue, including most student services. Residences will remain open, as will recreation facilities. Sporting events, public events, and third-party events may continue (please confirm with your event organizer).
20. Will student services be available during a labour disruption?
    1. Activities led by University staff will continue, including student services. All Library & Archives locations will remain open, as will the Student Success Office (including academic advising). Some individual programs or workshops may be impacted. Please check with the service on availability.
    2. Counselling services will be interrupted during a labour disruption. However, many other services are available to students.
        
21. How much notice would be provided to students before classes resume?
    1. Once a labour disruption has ended, the University will communicate when classes will resume. This would typically occur within days of the end of a labour disruption.
        
22. Can I continue my placement, internship, co-op, or clinical placement? How will my placement hours be made-up once the strike is over?
    1. Many placements, especially those in Business, will continue. Other placements that cannot take place without faculty supervision will stop temporarily during the strike.
    2. Once the strike is over, faculty members will be able to reassess placement requirements and create a plan for students to complete their requirements.
    3. School of Nursing/École des science infirmières
       1. All clinical placements and related activities for undergraduate and graduate students in all French and English nursing programs, across all years in the School of Nursing / École des sciences infirmières (acute and non-acute settings), will be suspended, as Clinical Educators and Clinical Advisors are faculty members.
    4. School of Education / École des sciences de l’éducation
       1. Students currently completing placements in the School of Education/École d’éducation would have their placements suspended. Future placements will be determined by the School once the duration of the strike is known.
    5. School of Indigenous Relations
       1. All placements within the School would be suspended during a labour disruption.
    6. Orthophonie
       1. Master’s student clinical placements and research projects would be temporarily suspended.
       2. B.Sc.S students will have access to the Orthophonie lab, which is open on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Friday mornings with the technician present.
    7. School of Social Work/École de service social
       1. All placements and research supervised by faculty are temporarily suspended.
    8. Faculty of Management
       1. Students continue their internships and placements with the Work-Integrated Learning Coordinator as their point of contact.
          1. spad@laurentian.ca
          2. businessinterns@laurentian.ca
    9. Faculty of Science, Engineering and Architecture
       1. Students continue their internships and placements with the office of the Dean of SEA as their point of contact.
          1. SEA@laurentian.ca
    10. If you are still unsure, please contact your Dean’s Office:
        1. Faculty of Arts: Arts@laurentian.ca
        2. Faculty of Education and Health: dean-educationandhealth@laurentian.ca
        3. Faculty of Science, Engineering, and Architecture: SEA@laurentian.ca
        4. Faculty of Management: Dean-Management@laurentian.ca
        5. Faculty of Graduate Studies: graduatestudies@laurentian.ca 
            
23. Would my academic field trip move forward as scheduled?
    1. During a strike, all activities led by faculty members and instructors, including academic field trips, will not take place during a labour disruption.
    2. Events planned into the future will be reevaluated based on the impact of a strike.
        
24. Do campus events continue?
    1. Each event will depend on the organizers, please check with event organizers.
    2. Many events are planned to move forward, including:
       1. Model Parliament
       2. SPAD hockey tournament
       3. Goodman Gold Challenge
           
25. Are Teaching Assistants expected to continue their work?
    1. Teaching Assistants are not expected to perform their regular employment duties until a strike ends.
        
26. What is the minimum notice time that students receive before classes resume?
    1. This would depend on the length of the disruption, but we want to ensure that students have enough time and notice to return for classes and that faculty members have enough time to plan for course resumption.
        
27. Will the university extend the deadline to make changes to classes (add/drop)?
    1. No, as the deadline passed before the strike, there would be no change to the deadline.
28. What are the impacts of the disruption to my financial aid (OSAP, out-of- province financial aid).
    1. Currently, there is no impact on the financial aid students are receiving.
29. Are bursary applications still being accepted, or will they still be accepted?
    1. Yes, the bursary application is still scheduled to go at the beginning of February. You will receive an email from financialaid@laurentian.ca when the applications are open.
30. How will tuition and fees be assessed at the conclusion of the strike?
    1. At this moment in the strike, the University is committed to getting students back to class as soon as possible, and to ensuring that they can finish their studies. At the conclusion of the strike, an evaluation will be made to assess the impact (fees, tuition, interest).
31. At what point would the University consider extending the semester?
    1. 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.
32. What happens once the strike ends?
    1. Once a tentative agreement is reached with LUFA, a special meeting of Senate would be called with two days' notice. During the special meeting, senate members will create a plan to resume classes. Students will then be provided a specific timeline and notice to return for classes. Similarly faculty members will be provided time to plan for course resumption.

Graduate Students and Research Matters

33. Can graduate students and undergraduate students work in the field, in the community, or in labs to advance a capstone project, studio project, honours thesis or graduate thesis research?
    1. No. If the student’s research and scholarship activities are associated with a course or degree program and their course or thesis supervisor is a LUFA member, they are not able to continue to do this work, as it must be completed with adequate faculty supervision.
    2. However, if students are able to advance some research activities on their own through independent study (readings, reviewing past lectures or notes, updating tables or figures etc..) they are encouraged to do so.  Students can also be in general university spaces, as long as they are not performing research activities that require faculty supervision (e.g. laboratory research, use of research equipment, field work, etc...).
34. Can students advance research work if it is not part of their course work or thesis work?
    1. Yes. If the research work is not associated with a course or their thesis but is additional paid or voluntary research and these scholarship activities are not supervised by a LUFA member, this work may continue.
35. Can students conduct analysis work if it normally requires the direct supervision of a LUFA member?
    1. Analysis work that is associated with course work or a student’s thesis that is normally directly supervised by a LUFA member must be paused during a strike.
36. What should a student do if they have critical and time-sensitive research work that if not completed would result in loss of cell-lines, biodegradable samples or other sensitive data?
    1. If a student feels they have research work that would suffer irrefutable and irreparable harm and their faculty supervisor did not already request approval from LUFA and the administration for the research activity to continue, you are asked to send an email to the Graduate Studies Office (graduatestudies@laurentian.ca) if you are in a graduate degree (Master’s or PhD)
    2. In the case of undergraduate students (e.g., a Bachelor’s level degree program) contact the appropriate Dean’s Office for the Faculty in which your program is offered (Faculty of Arts - arts@laurentian.ca, Faculty of Management - Dean-Management@Laurentian.ca, Faculty of Education and Health - dean-educationandhealth@laurentian.ca; , or the Faculty of Science, Engineering and Architecture - SEA@laurentian.ca ). Your Dean will review the request and forward it to LUFA for consideration through the Vice-President, Research.
    3. If your request is approved and your faculty supervisor (or another approved employee) is available to provide supervision, you will be informed. Otherwise, proceed under the assumption that the research may not be continued until after the faculty members return to their academic duties.

37. I have applied to study at Laurentian. Does this impact my application or admission status?
    1. No. A labour disruption would not have a major impact on admissions. Staff continue to report to work and process admissions, some programs which require faculty involvement in decision making may see delays in responses during a labour disruption.
38. Will graduate program application deadlines be modified?
    1. Deadlines remain unchanged (as they are discretionary to program coordinators), however we will support students in completing their applications once the strike is resolved.
39. I have applied for a deferral; will the labour disruption affect the timing to receive my documents?
    1. If you are eligible for a deferral, please note that some programs require faculty approval. Programs requiring faculty approval may experience delays in the issuance of admission documents such as the Deferral Letter of Acceptance (LOA) and the Provincial Attestation Letter (PAL).
40. I am a former sessional professor with LUFA but cannot access my Laurentian email to apply to a graduate program. How do I proceed?
    1. In such cases, please email hrd@laurentian.ca and it@laurentian.ca, disclosing the affected Laurentian email address, so that IT and HR can review and coordinate the appropriate adjustment to your account to allow the application process to proceed.

41. Would athletics and recreation activities continue?
    2. Yes. Recreation facilities would remain open, and athletics and recreation activities, including sporting events, continue as planned.

42. What does a strike look like in Canada?
    1. A labour disruption (also known as a “strike”) occurs when employees stop working and refuse to perform their duties as part of a dispute with their employer. Strikes are often accompanied by “picketing”, where employees gather outside their workplace, sometimes forming a ‘‘picket line’’ to raise awareness about their position and to inform or persuade others about the dispute. Picket lines are generally peaceful and are intended to educate the public and those entering the employer’s property.
        
43. Will this impact my immigration status?
    1. International students may take a leave from studies for up to 150 days (about five months) due to a strike. If the leave exceeds 150 days, you must either change your status (e.g., to visitor) or leave Canada to maintain compliance. The Immigration Advisory Team will provide guidance and workshops and guidance on how to apply the Visitor Records.
    2. Based on IRCC regulations, international students are eligible to work up to 24 hours per week while a strike is in effect, for a maximum period of 150 days. This allows you to maintain part-time work while the labour disruption is ongoing, without affecting your immigration status.
    3. Post-Graduation Work Permit (PGWP) eligibility is not affected by a strike, provided you resume full-time studies, change your status, or leave Canada within the 150-day window.
        
44. How would Laurentian support potential immigration risks & adverse impacts (i.e., student and work permits)?
    1. The Immigration Advisory Team is available to provide support regarding study permits, work permits, co-op placements, and PGWP applications.
    2. They also ensure that any required documents, such as Letters of Completion (LOC) and Letter of Enrollment (LOE) are issued in a timely manner once your academic requirements are completed, even if a strike occurs.
        
45. Do services for international students continue?
    1. Yes, activities led by University staff would continue, including student services.

46. Would the library be open throughout the labour disruption?
    1. Yes, all Library & Archives locations would remain open and many services continue to be available. Please refer to the Library & Archives homepage for opening hours. For additional questions, please contact library@laurentian.ca.

47. Would online students continue their classes?
    1. It will depend on whether the online class you are taking is for-credit or non-credit. With respect to for-credit courses, all classes led by faculty members and instructors, such as  Laurentian Online for credit courses, will stop temporarily during the labour disruption. Access to D2L however will continue. Non-credit Additional Qualification courses and professional development courses will continue as regularly scheduled.
        
48. Would course instructors communicate with us?
    1. With respect to for-credit Laurentian Online courses, faculty members would not be performing any part of their work during the labour disruption, including communicating with students. The Laurentian Online staff will continue to provide support to these students.
    2. For Additional Qualification courses and Professional Development courses, the Micro-credential and Non-programming staff would continue to provide support to instructors and students in these courses.

49. Would residences remain open?
    29. Yes, residences would remain open and staff would continue to support students.
         
50. Would Food Services be available?
    29. Yes, food services would be available, however hours and locations may vary. Please visit dineoncampus.ca/laurentian for up-to-date hours of operations.

51. Will LUFA members be paid during a labour disruption?
    1. No. Employees who are on strike do not complete their work, which means that they are not paid until the end of a labour disruption.
        
52. Will all LUFA members be participating in a labour disruption?
    1. By default, all LUFA members are considered to be on strike until they inform the employer otherwise or until a labour disruption is resolved.
    2. A process is available for LUFA members to opt out of a labour disruption, commit to doing their work through a labour disruption, and get paid. Faculty members can initiate the process by contacting their Dean.
        
53. Will faculty have access to my email service during labour action?
    1. As faculty members are not working during a labour disruption, they will not have access to their email accounts or to any other Laurentian IT systems until a labour disruption is resolved.
        
54. Will faculty be able to access their offices or labs during the labour action?
    1. As faculty members are not working during a labour disruption, they will not have access to their offices or labs until a labour disruption is resolved.
    2. Exceptions will be made in rare circumstances for faculty members completing time-sensitive research whose progress would be irreparably harmed without lab access.
    3. Petitions for exceptional lab access can be made to the Vice-President, Research at vpresearch@laurentian.ca.

55. Can I request to work from home during any potential labour disruption?
    1. Laurentian’s Flexible Work Arrangement Program remains in place during a labour disruption. Staff are expected to report to work as per their existing work arrangement.
    2. Laurentian will continue to monitor the situation as a labour disruption evolves to determine whether a change in approach is needed.
        
56. I am not a LUFA member. Am I required to perform my work during a labour disruption?
    1. Yes. All union and non-union employees are required by law to perform their work, unless they are LUFA members who have chosen to participate in a labour disruption.
    2. Employees who hold dual appointments and belong to both LUFA and a non-LUFA employee group are required to perform their non-LUFA work throughout a labour disruption.
        
57. I report to a LUFA member who is on strike. What happens now?
    1. Employees who report directly to a LUFA member will be advised directly by their interim supervisor and/or manager prior to a Labour Disruption.
    2. Should an employee be unclear of who they report to, they are advised to contact hrd@laurentian.ca in order to obtain confirmation.
58. What resources are available to help me during this time?
    1. The Employee & Family Assistance Program is available at all times, 24 hours a day for all staff and faculty.

59. Would the Laurentian University campus remain open?
    1. Yes. The campus would remain open, some on-campus activities may be disrupted. Residences would remain open, as would recreation facilities. Sporting events, public events, and third-party events may continue (please confirm with your event organizer).
    2. Visitors are encouraged to expect delays and allow for extra time when coming onto campus.

60. Will deliveries be redirected?
    1. Transit providers and/or delivery services will receive information from Laurentian Postal, Shipping and Receiving regarding alternate drop-off locations or alternate designated delivery zones and any potential changes. Purchase Orders generated after January 19, 2026 will contain alternate delivery information as required.
        
61. Will purchases and payments continue?
    1. Purchases will continue and Purchase Orders will continue to be sent to vendors, alternate delivery information may be provided as required. Support staff will continue processing invoices though processing times may be slower.
    2. Vendors and suppliers are strongly encouraged to register for Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) to ensure timely payment.
        
62. Are onsite promotions allowed?
    1. During a strike, onsite vendor promotions are often paused until regular operations resume.
        
63. What happens to ongoing contracts or projects?
    1. Vendors, suppliers and contractors should strictly perform only their contracted duties and requirements per their contract. Please note that if the services you are providing are directly related to faculty led events, these will be suspended during a strike. Goods will continue to be received and construction projects will continue to proceed.
    2. Most major projects continue, though there may be delays due to supply chain disruptions or picketing.