UAlberta goes to arbitration with faculty union

The University of Alberta and the faculty association will be going to arbitration to settle a collective bargaining dispute. The administration has offered salary increases of 0.5 per cent, 1.5 per cent, and two per cent over the course of a three deal, while the University of Alberta Faculty Association is seeking a 3.5 per cent increase for all three years. The university is facing a two per cent cut to its provincial operating grant. Referring to the fact that it has been more than a decade since arbitration was needed to settle collective bargaining, faculty association president Don Heth told the Edmonton Journal that "This is pretty unusual for us."