Talks between York University and faculty union continue as potential strike looms

A sign for Toronto's York University is seen in this undated file photo.

York University may see another strike this year – and it could happen as fall classes roll back in session.

On Thursday, the York University Faculty Association (YUFA) announced it is getting prepared for a possible strike or lockout after saying administration "threatened to unilaterally change" working conditions for several staff.

"The last thing we want is to be on the picket line rather than in our classrooms," YUFA's president, Ellie Perkins said, in the release. "We're doing everything we can to get a fair deal that protects the quality of education we're able to offer our students."

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YUFA is the certified bargaining agent for about 1,700 full-time faculty, librarians and archivists, as well as post-doctoral visitors at the university.

A major concern for both faculty and students alike, the association says, is the increased class sizes for undergraduate students. According to YUFA, Glendon and Keele campuses are seeing ten times the number of students in some of their classes due to recent restructuring.

"Faculty care deeply about providing the best learning experience possible," Perkins said. "That's just not possible when you suddenly have ten times as many students."

The professional association also says four faculty members have been fired since late July, while others are being incentivized to retire.

"The university claims it has no money to maintain reasonable class sizes, but the Ontario Auditor General found that York is financially sustainable, with net assets of $1.9 billion at the end of 2022-2023," YUFA Vice President Internal Art Redding said. Following the report, the university accepted the recommendations and agreed that York is "financially sustainable." 

"Meanwhile the administration is pouring money into new buildings and projects instead of focusing on the fundamentals of teaching and learning," Redding said.

A spokesperson for the university confirmed it has continued to meet with YUFA since being in the strike or lockout position on Aug. 2. Both agreed to have Eli Gedalof mediate to mutually reach a renewal collective agreement, and have so far met on Aug. 7, 11, 12 and 13.

"Progress has been made on some issues over the past three days and the University remains committed to reaching a renewal collective agreement with YUFA," the statement to CTV News Toronto reads.

In YUFA's bargaining update on Tuesday the association said a few issues were settled, but the many "major matters" still need to be discussed.

If an agreement is not met, York University could see its second strike of the year.

In February, nearly 3,000 contract faculty, teaching, research and graduate assistants, and part-time librarians went on a weeks-long strike to shine a light on concerns of "affordability, job security and equity in the workplace."

There are two remaining bargaining sessions between YUFA and the university, scheduled to take place over the weekend.