LUFA is the union that represents most of your professors, librarians, and instructors at Laurentian University.

LUFA negotiates a contract with the university that sets working conditions, including pay, pensions, workload, academic freedom, and course quality.

As a trade union, LUFA negotiates with their employer, Laurentian University (LU), the terms of a collective agreement or contract that determines the working conditions of LUFA members. This process of negotiations, where each party presents different suggestions for the contract and responds to the other, is called collective bargaining.

The collective agreement covers things like compensation, pensions, workload and duties, academic freedom, course quality and other issues that affect teaching and learning quality here at Laurentian. 

These working conditions directly affect the learning environment for students.

Through collective bargaining, LUFA seeks to secure working conditions that allow LU to continue delivering high-quality education and a positive student experience.

LUFA-LU’s Collective Agreement (imposed contract) expired in 2025 and negotiations for a new Collective Agreement are ongoing. 

You may have heard about the CCAA (Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act) filing that happened in 2021. This law is meant for private companies, not public universities, but Laurentian University was the first university to be put through this process.

The university administration chose this route because the province was not providing enough funding for universities, and because Laurentian’s administration made serious financial mistakes.

Because of this process,  LUFA members were forced to accept a contract that included:

• More than 100 job losses, 
• Many program cuts that caused huge disruptions for students,
• Salary reductions during a cost of living crisis,
• A weaker pension plan, and
• Increases to the workloads of those who kept their jobs. 

These forced changes make it much harder for Laurentian to attract and keep good professors and librarians and negatively impact class sizes, course availability, supervision, and support for students.

LUFA is trying to fix the damage caused by that process and negotiate fair conditions that support student success. Over the last five years, LUFA members have made significant sacrifices to keep Laurentian University running. We deserve working conditions that recognize the value of our work, and that are comparable to those offered at other universities in Ontario. 

For more information on the context of the 2021 LU CCAA filing, please see: Auditor General of Ontario finds Laurentian manufactured financial crisis, government ignored warning signs – Laurentian University Faculty.

Faculty have set a strike deadline of January 19. In a strong show of unity, 98% of LUFA’s membership voted to authorize the bargaining team to call a strike if needed. If no settlement is reached by January 19, faculty will go on strike.

Nobody wants to go on strike – especially in the peak of Ontario winter. The disruption to students, our research, and other university work is something we take incredibly seriously. But LUFA members know that ensuring stability and high quality education is our only option for a path forward. 

Unfortunately, we have not yet been able to reach an agreement with LU on many of the key issues at the table. If a deal is not reached, a strike is a way, by withdrawing our labour, to show what we contribute to this university and that we collectively, along with students and other staff, are what makes Laurentian Laurentian.  

LUFA members voted for a strike mandate because we know Laurentian is more than what the LU administration’s “Laurentian 2.0” is offering. Coming out of the CCAA, it is easy for us to feel like we are powerless, but we know that this is not the case. This university belongs to us – faculty, staff, and students. Not to the courts, not to the government.  

Laurentian 3.0 is our vision for a stronger and fairer high-quality institution that represents our community. 

The main issues are:

• Our right to retire with dignity and security by creating a path to a secure pension plan,
• Pay that keeps up with other university faculty and truly recognizes the value of our work.
• Balanced workloads so we have more time for students and research.  

These are critical in shaping faculty working conditions and LU’s ability to remain competitive in attracting and retaining highly qualified faculty to deliver the university’s education and research mandates. This directly affects the student learning environment.

Faculty working conditions are student learning conditions.

When workloads are too high and pay and pensions are unstable, it becomes harder for faculty to:

• Offer enough courses
• Provide feedback and advising
• Supervise research and placements

Better working conditions help create better learning conditions. 

The university talks about “Laurentian 2.0” to describe recovery after the 2021 financial crisis.

But that recovery came with big sacrifices from:

• Students (through program cuts and cancelled courses)
• Workers (through job losses, pay cuts, and higher workloads)

LUFA uses “Laurentian 3.0” to describe a future where:

• Students get strong academic programs and better academic support
• Faculty and librarians have fair working conditions
• The university can grow and improve

LUFA believes students and staff can only succeed together.

Yes. Since 2021, Laurentian has reported tens of millions of dollars in surplus funds.

LUFA supports long-term financial stability but also believes the university must invest in people who deliver teaching and research.

Good education requires investing in faculty.

When negotiations stall:

• Conciliation is required by law before a strike can happen. A government officer tries to help both sides reach an agreement.
• Mediation is optional and only happens if both sides agree. A mediator can suggest solutions and takes a more active role in negotiations.

In all cases, the power to agree to a settlement remains with the union and the employer.

• Conciliation happened on January 6 and 7

• Mediation is scheduled for January 10, 11, 16, 17, and 18

If an agreement is not reached in these sessions before the strike deadline of January 19th, LUFA will be on strike.

During a strike:

• Classes are cancelled
• No marking or feedback
• No academic advising
• No research or placement supervision
• No research support services from librarians/archivists
• No collection development/maintenance
• No counselling services

Faculty will likely lose access to:

• D2L
• Google Drive
• Email

You will not be able to contact professors about academic issues during the strike.

Picket lines will be on campus, and students are welcome to join.

The Government of Canada states that:  

“This situation is beyond your control, and your status as a study permit holder should not be affected. As a result of the strike, you will  

• not face any penalty or enforcement action because you can’t pursue your studies during this time  
• be able to work off campus for up to 24 hours per week if your study permit allows you to work (and also work full-time during regular breaks such as winter holidays and reading week)  
• still be eligible for the Post-Graduation Work Permit Program, if applicable”  

Students have tremendous power to help LUFA reach a fair deal.

You can start by participating in the letter writing campaign and following us @lufappul on social media to stay up to date on solidarity activities. Students are encouraged to join faculty on the picket lines at any time. 

Faculty picket lines will be set up at university entrances that you will need to cross to get to campus. Faculty will hand out information about the work stoppage, and you are welcome to ask questions. Traffic may be slower than usual.

City buses will not cross the picket lines, so you may need to walk to and from campus entrances if you use public transit.

There are a few reasons why people will need to cross the picket line, including getting to and from work or classes. Some of these issues could be mitigated if the administration cancelled all classes in the event of a strike — this would mean many students and workers would not need to be put in this difficult position. Some people, including students living in residence and some workers, would have to cross the picket line regardless. Care will be taken to be respectful while operating effective pickets. 

If you wish to display your solidarity with LUFA members, students can join the faculty on the picket line and reach out to your student leadership for organized advocacy events.   

It is important to remember that LUFA is not striking against other workers on campus, or against students. LUFA members are striking the administration. All of these difficulties can be avoided if the administration helps LUFA avert a strike.  

LUFA members will be withdrawing labour in the event of a strike and therefore will not be teaching classes, marking, or providing any other academic support to students.

Laurentian University has advised the following on classes:

“In the event of a strike, the Laurentian University campus will remain open. Classes, labs, seminars and other activities led by faculty members and instructors both online and in-person would stop temporarily, but activities led by University staff will continue, including most student services. Most non-credit Additional Qualifications courses and professional development courses, offered by the Centre for Teaching and Continuing Learning, will continue to be offered.”

In the event of a strike, LUFA members will not be working and will not be teaching, marking, or otherwise evaluating and receiving student assignments.

The University has announced that “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.”

Le corps professoral ne sera pas disponible pour superviser les stages associés aux cours. L’Université Laurentienne a fourni des informations supplémentaires sur la suspension des stages en cas de grève ici, à la question 24.

Once a strike begins, professors will not provide services such as labs or placement supervision.  

Counsellors are LUFA members and in the event of a LUFA strike, LUFA counsellors will be on strike.

Laurentian University has confirmed that counselling services will be interrupted however, they link to many other services available to students.

Distance and online instructors are LUFA members and so they will not be available for academic consultation or marking during the strike.

Laurentian University has confirmed that “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.”

Laurentian University has announced that “Teaching Assistants are not expected to perform their regular employment duties until a strike ends.”

Faculty do not want to cause financial hardship for students and will make every effort to allow students to continue employment where possible.  

No student in Canada has ever lost a term because of a faculty strike. The average strike in recent years has lasted 19 days, and many are much shorter. Once the strike ends, faculty work hard to ensure students can complete their term. Decisions about schedule adjustments are made by the Senate and the administration.

LUFA’s 2017 strike lasted only nine days, largely due to strong support from students and the community.

No. During a strike, professors will not provide teaching, academic consultation, or marking services, regardless of location or format. Moving a course off campus would also raise legal issues related to safety, liability, and accessibility.