In an action unprecedented for Manitoba universities, Manitoba’s NDP government has ordered members of the Brandon University Faculty Association (BUFA) to vote on the ‘final offer’ made by the Employer in the ongoing contract dispute.

Labour and Immigration Minister Jennifer Howard communicated the Ministerial Order to the BUFA Executive Committee late yesterday afternoon. The vote, which will be conducted by the Manitoba Labour Relations Board, may occur as early as Thursday.

In commenting on this development, BUFA President and Chief Negotiator Joe Dolecki said, “This intervention into the Collective Bargaining process at Brandon University is as dangerous as it is outrageous. It confirms for us the pro-Employer bias shown by this allegedly ‘labour-friendly’ government throughout this round of negotiations.”

“While pretending to be neutral, the NDP Government has, in our view, systematically aided and abetted the Employer’s ‘arbitrate at all costs’ strategy, reinforcing the Employer’s incentive not to seriously engage in the bargaining process – prolonging the strike and putting the future of our University and our students at risk,” Dolecki said.

Shortly after the Ministerial Order was received, the Minister sent another letter to BUFA asserting that the Conciliation process, which ended on October 21, was actually ongoing and urging the Parties to attempt to resolve the dispute utilizing the services of Conciliator Dennis Harrison.

“The Minister’s second letter is remarkable in a number of ways,” Dolecki stated, “not only does it directly contradict the Minister’s November 1 statement during question period in the Legislature that conciliation had ‘concluded’ on October 21, its effect is to permit the Employer to proceed with an application to have the Labour Relations Board adjudicate the dispute, should BUFA members reject the Employer’s final offer in the upcoming vote.”

“It is a sad day for free collective bargaining in this province,” Dolecki concluded.

BUFA has been on strike for 42 days.