The Capilano Faculty Association has suspended its strike action, according to a news release late Monday afternoon.
"We are pleased to report that the CFA has agreed to suspend its strike action to enable students to proceed with their final exams, on the revised schedule, beginning Thursday, April 16," Borjana Slipicevic, Capilano University senior communications advisor, said through a news release. "Faculty will resume their duties and University will resume all operations, beginning tomorrow, Tuesday, April 14."
The two parties will continue discussions through non-binding mediation, she noted.
The strike at Capilano University was entering its second week. The exams had been scheduled to start today (April 13).
Pickets went up at 7 a.m. last Wednesday, April 8, at the Squamish campus and had left about 60 students and about a dozen faculty and support staff in limbo.
Jamie Boyes, a first-year business student at the Squamish campus, said earlier today that it was a stressful time.
“It is a bit crazy. It has affected everyone,” she said Monday morning. “It is just the uncertainty of not knowing when your exams are.”
Boyes said she was not taking a side in the labour dispute. She said she thinks the university had done a good job of keeping students in the loop of what is happening.
All Capilano campuses, including Squamish, North Vancouver and Sunshine Coast, had picket lines due to the job action. The Squamish campus was closed.
The CFA and the university administration had been meeting since 3 p.m. Saturday to resolve dispute, according to a spokesperson.
The association is calling for improved job security, improved regularization and academic freedom, according to an association newsletter.
Capilano faculty voted 80 per cent in favour of a strike in early March.
The university site is www.capilanou.ca. The faculty association site is capilanofaculty.ca.
