Laurentian University has provided an update on how down-to-the-wire contract negotiations are proceeding with the Laurentian University Faculty Association (LUFA).
In talks since mid-November 2025, conciliation has failed and mediation continues this weekend in hopes of striking a deal before Jan. 19 at 12:01 a.m. when LUFA members can walk off the job.
“Further negotiations with the support of a mediator are planned for this weekend,” the university said in a news release. “We will provide an update via email as soon as possible before Monday morning, noting that negotiations may continue late into Sunday evening.”
If a strike happens, the Laurentian campus will remain open, the university said in the release.
“Classes, labs, seminars and other activities led by faculty members and instructors both online and in-person would stop temporarily, but activities led by University staff will continue, including most student services,” the release states. “Most non-credit Additional Qualifications courses and professional development courses, offered by the Centre for Teaching and Continuing Learning, will continue to be offered.”
Students, staff or faculty with questions have access to a Frequently Asked Questions page hosted on the Laurentian website for strike-related questions.
“We understand that this situation may create challenges and anxiety for our students, staff, and faculty members,” the release states. “We continue to update the list of frequently asked questions and encourage all Laurentian University community members to read through it carefully.”
The release also states that Laurentian “remains dedicated to negotiating in good faith to find an agreement that is fair to LUFA members while protecting the long-term financial sustainability of the University.”
Timeline
After conciliation with Laurentian University failed in December 2025, the union representing faculty members is now in a legal strike position, with a strike deadline set for Jan. 19 at 12:01 a.m., meaning if a deal is not reached by midnight Sunday, the faculty will be on the picket line come Monday.
Laurentian University Faculty Union (LUFA) president Fabrice Colin said that at the request of the union, a no-board report was issued by a conciliation officer on Dec. 29, beginning a countdown to a strike.
While a strike can legally take place 17 days after a no-board report is issued, Colin told Sudbury.com, LUFA and Laurentian have been trying to avoid that by taking part in mediation this month with arbitrator William Kaplan, with the last dates just before the strike deadline.
The union has a 98-per-cent strike mandate after a vote was held Nov. 15 to 17.
With LUFA’s current collective agreement having expired June 30, 2025, the two sides only started bargaining in earnest Nov. 17, 2025.
This is the first set of bargaining since 2021, when a contract was signed under what the union described as “duress,” during Laurentian’s time under creditor protection.
The faculty union says a major issue is members’ desire to establish a pension plan out of Laurentian’s hands.
But with stipulations in an insolvency-era loan agreement preventing this from happening, LUFA filed a Charter challenge against the province of Ontario in November.
Colin said there’s a chance of a deal “if there's an agreement” between Laurentian’s board and the Ministry of Colleges, Universities, Research Excellence and Security “to lift all the restrictions” regarding the pension plan in the loan agreement.