A drive to unionize part-time teachers at the First Nations University is gaining momentum.
A vote is expected soon that would see 73 sessional lecturers become members of the University of Regina Faculty Association.
They are the only group of university workers not currently represented by the association.
There are 73 of them scattered across the province at FNUniv campuses. They earn about $5,600 for teaching a three-credit course, but have no job guarantees and make about 20 per cent less than their counterparts at the University of Regina.
The chair of the University of Regina Faculty Association, Dennis Fitzpatrick, says the sessional instructors contribute a lot, but do not get much in return.
“These people are fiercely committed to the knowledge they have acquired,” he says. “They are also fiercely committed to their students, but sometimes forget to take care of themselves, these are fabulous people.”
Fitzpatrick says informational meetings have been held around the province and he expects a vote fairly soon on the certification process.
“We are well down the road to moving this forward toward a formal vote and after a formal vote then after a formal vote we have to start working on a contract for these people.”
Fitzpatrick says these are turbulent and uncertain times at university campuses. He says a contract would give the sessional lecturers job security, health benefits, and they would be paid on par with similar positions at the U of R.
A date has not yet been set for the certification vote.