Management cites escalating pressure tactics, rejection of final offer
MONTREAL (CP) — The University of Montreal says clinician teachers at its faculty of veterinary medicine will be locked out indefinitely as of noon on Thursday.
The decision comes as the teachers based in Saint-Hyacinthe, Que., negotiate for a first collective agreement.
The university says in a news release that it is taking this action due to escalating pressure tactics, the unpredictability of union actions and the rejection of a final contract offer
That offer was presented filed last Friday, but the union says it was rejected on Tuesday by a vote of 97 per cent.
University management say the teachers have held nine strike days during the dispute and have voted to stage another 18 walkouts — a tactic it calls disruptive.
The union representing the teachers (Syndicat général des professeurs et professeures de l'Université de Montréal or SGPUM) says in a news release that it strongly denounces what it calls an ``odious and disproportionate'' decision to lock out the teachers.
Management says the facility north of Montreal will operate in ``emergency only'' mode until further notice.
