Arbitrator rules with LUFA, calls school closure breach of collective agreement

An arbitrator has ruled in favour of the Lakehead University Faculty Association’s grievance against the University’s closure last December.

University administration closed the school between Dec. 21 to 24, 2009 in an effort to cut costs. The move reduced the annual salary of faculty members, which drew the ire of LUFA. Citing the move would violate the collective agreement between LUFA and the school, the faculty association called for an arbitrator to be brought in.

Arbitrator Jane Devlin’s ruling was made public Thursday afternoon.

"Having carefully considered these provision and the submission of the parties, I find that by instituting a shutdown, it was not open to the University to unilaterally reduce the annual salary of faculty members by four days," Delvin states in the decision.

"In my view this action on the part of the University constituted a breach of … the collective agreement."

The main grievance involved 300 full-time university faculty members.