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The faculty and the ad- ministration have been in negotia- tions all week trying to prevent the impending strike.

Both sides say there are four main issues: money, sexual harass- ment, workload and right of first refusal or seniority. The ad- ministration has tabled proposals on all of these except the seniority.

"We have tabled language on workload which has been met with some interest on the part of the faculty," said Ross Cameron, Chief Negotiator for the administration.

Cameron also said that they are very close to a settlement on sexual harassment but not personal harassment because the language is too ambiguous.

"“THere are two or three key

DCSS Denied Access to Talks) ’

_by Matthew Martin

On October 25, the DCSS sent a letter to Bill Day requesting per- mission to attend the negotiation meetings. Their rationale is that the DCSS is a democratic institution and "at the very least, has a right to fulfill the mandate of its respon- sibilities" , namely to protect the ob- jective interests of the students.

On October 30, Ross Cameron, the Chief Negotiator for the administration answered the DCSS’s letter. According to Bill Day who met with Aias Perez, the

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issues that are going to be stum- bling blocks unless the faculty is willing to make significant moves" says Cameron. He also said that the right of first refusal and weekend work were the points that the faculty will have to move on. According to Adrienne Peacock, the head of the faculty negotiation team, the administration’s unwillingness to negotiate certain issues is "not ac- ceptable...the problems are solv- able, it’s up to the management how long the strike lasts." Peacock says the 20th An- niversary Celebrations have been spoiled by the current labour dis- pute. She said "the college makes its own decisions... the (college’s) priorities boggle my mind. There certainly is money there" she said

president of the DCSS, before the official response from Cameron, "the college has accepted the legitimate concerns of the Student Society about a possible strike and their need for information and their right to information."

Day added, “having a third party present during negotiations is counter-productive. Documenta- tion will be supplied to the DCSS as a matter of policy."

"As far as information flow is concerned we fully believe that we have responded to the societies

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November 6.1989

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referring to the 20th Anniversary Celebrations.

The Student Forum held in the |

concourse seems to have had a large impact on the administration’s decision to negotiate. "We don’t intend to let

the pressure off...unless we have af

tentative agreement we will strike.’

“The people who get hurt the #3

most are the students, there is no question about that," said Cameron. Al Atkinson, also with the administration, said "we are as- suming that the semester will not have to be cancelled...our foremost concern is the students."

As to withdrawal deadlines and tuition fee refunds Atkinson stated, decisions until we know if there will be a strike."

concerns."

Perez does not agree com- pletely. "It is still our right to attend the negotiations", he said, though when asked about the new informa- tion policy, he answered, "it is very good, it is certainly going to help us."

When he was also asked what the DCSS’s action plans were in the event of a strike, he replied, "I hope the students will support the faculty in picket lines. We are still talking to our lawyers about suing for loss of services."

Students Protest Tuition Hikes

VANCOUVER (CUP) -- There may be a one-day general strike at the University of Victoria early in the new year.

The university community needs to take a unified stand on soaring tuition and plummeting funding, said student council vice president Kelly Abeysinghe.

At a student action committee meeting Oct 18, Abeysinghe and 26 supporters began organizing a rally for a tuition freeze.

They hope to enlist support from two UVic union locals, B.C. Transit drivers, and faculty mem- bers, as well as students, to shut down the campus Jan. 23.

The group, with the support of the Canadian Federation of Stu-

dents, is calling for a tuition freeze in response a drop in funding in the last decade.

In 1979/80, students paid for 9.2 per cent of UVic’s operating costs with their tuition. They now pay for 17 per cent of the operating costs through tuition, not including library fines, incidental, parking, and admissions fees, or books and supplies.

Fees at UVic have risen from $675 in 1981 to $1545 in 1989 - a 114 per cent jump.

"Right now we’re trying to determine the level of our support on campus through a petition,” said Abeysinghe.

Mail campaigns have been directed at MLAs and MPs and the

CFS National office has initiated a mass-postcard campaign asking

Prime Minister Mulroney to end education cutbacks.

On a national level, B.C.’s fees rank third highest in Canada, be- hind Ontario and the Maritime provinces.

Although Quebec’s tuition levels have been frozen for the last 20 years, recent provincial elec- tions indicate the freeze may be lifted.

"Students have to recognize that they have a voice and that noth- ing is going to change until they come together... the present level of support is insufficient," said Abeysinghe.

"we can’t make anyPe~

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a by Dave Baxter Adrienne Peacock-Chief Negotiator for the Faculty

Administration

"Playing Games"

Friday morning, November 3, the Douglas College Faculty Associa- tion (DCFA) negotiation team agreed to accept a mediator to assist bargaining. The agreement was based on the following conditions:

-mediation will NOT lead to arbitration

-if a collective agreement is not in place Monday morning, Novem- ber 6, 1989, the strike will go ahead.

At 2:30 pm on Friday, November 3, Douglas College served 72 hour lockout notice on members of the DCFA.

During the past three days of bargaining, some progress was made on several issues but major concerns remain. Outstanding issues include:

-excessive workloads without limits on maximum class size

-lack of any job security for half of the teaching staff and

-wages which have fallen below comparable employees, like New Westminster public school teachers.

"It’s frustrating", said Adrienne Peacock, Vice-President of the DCFA. "We have been trying to solve very real problems in the College, problems our members have identified, yet the College seems to be just playing games."

"We are particularly incensed that Management distributed an *information package’ to our members this afternoon which misleads. This action amounts to an attempt by Management to bargain directly with our members instead of the DCFA negotiation team."

"Faculty have been without a contract since April 1, 1989", said Peacock. "We are fed up. We want a negotiated and fair settlement."