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No quick end in sight for university strike

The standoff between the Vancouver Island University Faculty Association and university administration continues.

The standoff between the Vancouver Island University Faculty Association and university administration continues.


The two parties reached an impasse last week in contract negotiations and by press time Monday, no further meetings were scheduled.


"We were open to meeting all weekend, we did not get a call from the union," said Toni O'Keeffe, VIU spokeswoman.


"We've left the door open. We are prepared to sit down and talk when they're ready."


The faculty association has been on strike since Thursday. Faculty want to have a no layoff clause included in a new contract, while university officials say no way.


"We will not budge on that, we cannot budge on that," said O'Keeffe, adding such a clause would restrict the university's ability to create and run new programming.


The two sides last met, along with a government-appointed mediator, Thursday afternoon, but talks stalled out about 9 p.m.


Dan McDonald, faculty association president, did not return phone calls by press time.