Talks broke down between Vancouver Island University and its faculty association late Wednesday night, leaving negotiations in limbo and no end in sight to the three-week old strike.
University spokeswoman Toni O'Keeffe said talks are now back to "square one" after almost a full week of negotiations. Approximately 800 members of the VIU Faculty Association have been on the picket lines since March 10.
O'Keeffe said April 11 remains the deadline set by the university to decide if it will extend the term. It could also be cancelled altogether and students would be refunded their tuition fees.
Dan McDonald, president of VIUFA, said negotiations could produce successful results if VIU agrees to resume talks as soon as possible.
"The university is very frustrated with the VIUFA," O'Keeffe said Thursday morning.
"The union keeps introducing new items in the negotiations and reintroducing items that were off the table."
McDonald said he firmly believes the talks and the semester can be saved if the university quickly agrees to resume negotiations. He said it "very unfortunate" that O'Keeffe is characterizing the talks as being all the way back to square one.
"It seems that we're backing up rather than moving forward," he said. "All we're asking is that the university freeze the growth of its administration at the same time they are considering laying off my members. That would, in fact, save VIU money."
McDonald said three days remain before the April 11 deadline and "every reasonable opportunity" should be explored to reach an agreement during that time.
