Union Representing FNUniv Staff Condemns Withheld Funding

[Mar 23, 2010 02:10 PM]

For immediate release:
March 23, 2010

REGINA—The Union representing support staff at the First Nations University of Canada (FNUniv) is joining the chorus of students and staff members demanding that funding to the University is renewed.

“You don’t fix a problem by washing your hands of it and abandoning almost 2,200 students,” said Tom Graham, president of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) Saskatchewan.

CUPE members registered their ire with the federal government’s decision not to renew the funding agreement, as well as their unwavering support for aboriginal education, at the CUPE Saskatchewan Annual Convention. In Saskatoon on March 12, about 200 delegates unanimously voted in favour of a resolution calling for funding to be restored. The resolution called on CUPE Saskatchewan—the political arm of the union which represents 29,000 public sector workers in the province—to condemn the government’s announcement that funding will not be renewed after March, 2010.

CUPE Saskatchewan is also urging the provincial government to reinstate its funding promise immediately.

“Holding funding like a carrot on a stick doesn’t make for productive planning,” said Graham of the provincial government’s position. “The University and its partners need to focus on students, their education and role that the growing aboriginal population will play in the future of this province and they need the Government of Saskatchewan to support them in their rebuilding efforts.”

CUPE Saskatchewan is joined by CUPE Local 1975-01, the local body which represents the support staff at the University of Regina and FNUniv, in their support for the FNUniv staff and students. Local 1975-01 president Aimee Martin has written Minister of Advanced Education Employment and Labour Minister Rob Norris, asking Norris to immediately restore funding and urge his counterpart in Ottawa—Chuck Strahl, Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development—to do the same.

“This school plays a big part in getting aboriginal people into classrooms,” said Martin. “But, it also creates jobs and training spaces now and promises a future of a more representative workforce. We can’t afford to have our governments walk away from this institution.”

CUPE Saskatchewan is also supportive of the FNUniv Students’ Association and their live-in vigil.
According to Graham, seeing the students and faculty stand up for their school is the most powerful testament to the effect that institution has on their lives and education.

“Politics and money are getting in the way of what’s important here,” he said. “Seeing students, staff and their families move onto the campus to literally stand together should send a very strong message to the Governments of Saskatchewan and Canada: put the students first. Students and staff at this school don’t deserve to be punished.”

CUPE is the largest union in Saskatchewan, representing 29,000 workers in the university, education, health care, municipal, community-based organizations and other sectors of the public service. CUPE is also the largest union in Canada, representing more than 600,000 public employees.

CUPE 1975-01 is the local bargaining unit which represents about 750 support workers at the University of Regina and First Nations University of Canada.

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For more information, contact:
CUPE Saskatchewan (306) 757-1009

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