Who are the members of the Negotiating Committee and what is their relation to the MUNFA Executive?

---The Negotiating Committee consists of Bill Schrank, Economics (chief negotiator); Marian Atkinson, Executive Assistant; Jon Bear, Medicine; Elizabeth Brown, Library; John Church, Medicine; Malcolm Grant, Psychology; Clar Matchim, Business; Eric Mintz, Corner Brook; Jim Overton, Sociology; Elizabeth Yeoman, Education; and Chris Youe, History.

---The Negotiating Committee has the responsibility for bargaining for a Collective Agreement. It is distinct from the Executive. This distinction is important in case the membership does not accept or ratify the agreement that has been negotiated by the Negotiating Committee. Should the membership not accept the agreement negotiated by the Negotiating Committee, the Negotiating Committee might consider resigning. If the Negotiating Committee and the Executive Committee had the same membership and there was such a resignation, there would be no organizational means to run MUNFA.

---Although there is a separation between Negotiating Committee and Executive Committee, there is also overlap. Three members of the Negotiating Committee (Bear, Grant and Schrank) also serve on the Executive. Such overlap facilitates communication between the two entities.

I'm on sabbatical. How is the strike affecting me? Do I get strike pay?

---If you are on sabbatical leave, you will be regarded by MUNFA as being on strike, and therefore you will be eligible for strike pay. You should contact Strike Headquarters at (709) 737-4311 for arrangements to receive your strike pay.

I have decided to join the strike. How do I find out what to do and where to go? How do I find out what picket line I am supposed to be at?

---Come in to Strike Headquarters at 25 Anderson Avenue, or call, at (709) 737-4311. We will get you to fill out a picket duty preference form, and put you in touch with the picket line coordinator. She will give you your assignment and any assistance you require. Transportation is available from HQ to your picket station.

What is the proper etiquette on the picket line? Do we prevent traffic from entering university property?

---On the picket line we must remain calm, polite, dignified and orderly at all times. No alcohol, before or during picket line duty. We have legal rights to picket, to inform the public about the issues, and to try politely to dissuade people from crossing the line. However, the public has the legal right to cross the picket line, and we do not have the legal right to use intimidation. We may not prevent people from crossing the line; but a short delay in order to disseminate our information is permissible. We should not react to unpleasantries, but should report incidents and information such as the license numbers of speed-through cars to the picket captains, who will report to the Picket Line Coordinator, who may in turn notify the police, depending on the severity of the incident.

I have seen some of my fellow picketers going from the picket line to their offices to check their e-mail and to collect their other mail. That seems odd. Is it OK to do that?

---No, in general it is not okay to do that. Withdrawing our presence and our services is what it is to be on strike. Going in for any reason constitutes crossing the picket line.

---However, provisions have been made by the union to issue passes to allow about 20 striking faculty to attend to time-sensitive experiments, to provide animal care and to do other related tasks. Colleagues with these passes are not crossing the picket line.

Is it OK to use my e-mail from home?

---Yes, so far the administration hasn't cut off our accounts; remote use of e-mail is comparable to using the public mails. The possibility does exist, however, that we may lose access to our accounts on the MUN servers, so you would be well advised to make alternate arrangements if you're liable to need e-mail during the strike.

The University owns the Aquarena. I pay dues to use its services. There is supposed to be a picket line at the Aquarena. Can I use the Aquarena facilities?

---The picket line at the Aquarena was mounted in error; the Aquarena is open, and using it does not constitute crossing the line.

If some university campus space has been leased -- say, the Recital Hall in the Music Building, say for a musical event or even for a karate class -- and MUNFA members are involved in that event or activity, is it okay for MUNFA members to participate?

---If such community activities take place in the evening after the picket lines have gone down for the day, and the activity does not constitute part of the duties you perform for the University, it is okay to participate.

What is the status of distance education courses?

---Distance education courses are part of the service you perform for the University in the course of your employment. So, when we are on strike, activities in support of them should be discontinued, just as should conventional classroom meetings.

I am getting e-mail on group lists from colleagues who are against MUNFA's job action. How do I get off that list and prevent that e-mail from coming to me?

---Good question. You could request the sender to remove your name from his/her listserv, but that may not work. When we return to work, we may well want MUNFA to inquire formally about the uses to which the e-mail of the University was put during this strike.

Why did MUNFA have a much publicized party during the strike?

---Striking is a difficult and stressful undertaking; people need relief and the social support of their colleagues. A party is well within the resources of MUNFA to sponsor, and seemed a suitable way to bring people together in a relaxing and pleasant atmosphere to unwind at the end of an extraordinary week.

I'm confused about the outstanding issues on the table. Some people say that not all Master's prepared faculty and librarians are alike. What is MUNFA's position on the Ph.D. and Master's salary differential?

---In some disciplines which are pursued at Memorial the Master's degree is the highest qualification that can normally be attained; in other disciplines, the Ph.D. has only recently become available as a qualification. There are still other colleagues who do not have an earned doctorate for a variety of other reasons. All these colleagues teach, do research, chair important university committees, edit journals, receive impressive grants and awards. There is, in fact, a substantial cohort of Masters' scholars with stature and accomplishments comparable to their colleagues with Ph.D's.

Is the Ph.D. - M.A. differential the main issue over which MUNFA is striking, or are there other equally important outstanding issues?

---In addition to the unfair salary differentials, there are several other important outstanding issues: pension reform, severance, payment for overload teaching, increases in the per course stipend, reasonable payment for distance education and faculty workload, to name the most prominent ones. We must have an adequate resolution to all of these issues for a satisfactory agreement.

Some people say that sessionals aren't really part of MUNFA so there's no point in including them in negotiations. Is that true?

---This is not true. Under our certification order those teaching the equivalent of three or more courses are included in the bargaining unit, and their working conditions are seriously at issue in these negotiations. There are at present 57 sessionals in the bargaining unit. The amount paid to them per course has not changed since 1989. If we are committed to encouraging excellence in teaching, then we ought to be willing to provide adequate compensation to all those who do it.