BREAKING: U of A and AASUA reach agreement, avoid academic staff strike

In a statement released by the University of Alberta, the institution announced reaching an agreement with the Association of Academic Staff of the University of Alberta (AASUA).

Staff association bargaining teams at the U of A have been in negotiation with university administration over worker contracts. The bargaining moved to mediation on February 14, which means a neutral third-party appointed by the provincial government worked with both parties to try and reach an agreement.

As of March 8, an agreement between the U of A and AASUA has been reached, and a strike of academic staff has been avoided.

“After many months of negotiations, we are pleased to have a clear path forward that protects students’ interests, avoids any interruptions to research and academic activities, and ensures the long-term well-being of the U of A,” the statement read.

“The Board of Governors (BoG) extends its thanks to the many people who contributed to the new collective agreement with our academic staff community.”

The U of A described being “pleased” that an agreement has been reached, and said the new agreement will be posted online “as soon as it is available.”

“We are pleased to share that the U of A BoG and the AASUA have ratified a new collective agreement for the period of July 1, 2020 to June 30, 2024,” the statement said. “The new agreement will be posted online as soon as it is available. The mediator’s report, which informed the ratification process and new agreement, is now available.”