The faculty association at Memorial University has come out swinging against the school for a costly weekend retreat at the Fogo Island Inn in the fall.
MUNFA’s bargaining team is providing its membership with an update today on ongoing discussions as a strike deadline looms—and the latest revelations on university spending is likely to be raised.
VOCM News reported this morning that MUN confirmed and defended the $100,000 expenditure, which was part of a four-day Arctic Forum that was hosted by the university as part of a partnership between MUN, Norway’s University of the Arctic and the Shorefast Foundation. The forum started in St. John’s and moved on to a three-day stay at the Fogo Island Inn.
Via the Fogo Island Inn on Facebook
On social media this morning, MUNFA tweeted that the university says it is leaving 100 tenure-track positions vacant because it doesn’t have the money to hire instructions, but the association is questioning how they have $100,000 for a weekend retreat.
MUN is leaving *100* tenure-track positions vacant because it 'doesn't have the money' to hire instructors — but there's $100K lying around for a weekend retreat?? How is this a #FairDealAtMUN for anyone? https://t.co/0yRoZlt2DC pic.twitter.com/ELi2Mz42PN
— MUNFA (@MUNFaculty) January 26, 2023
Talks continue to head off a strike after members of the Faculty Association gave their union an overwhelming strike mandate earlier this month.
Member of MUNFA’s executive, and professor Luke Ashworth says he suspects that the issue will come up in today’s conversation.
Ashworth says the overwhelming strike mandate and the high turnout for the strike vote, in addition to the support of MUNSU should serve as a message to MUN administration about the “groundswell” of opinion.
