Dear members,
Thank you again for the incredible engagement and solidarity you demonstrated through our recent strike vote. The strength of that mandate has already had a meaningful impact.
I’m writing to share an update on where things stand and what comes next.
Following the vote, your bargaining team has secured a return to mediation with Greg Francis as mediator. We are entering mediation this afternoon, and discussions will continue over the coming days. We believe this is an important opportunity to make real progress.
To ensure we maintain the momentum created by the strike mandate, we have also communicated a clear timeline to NAIT. Our goal is to reach a negotiated agreement by January 30. Establishing this timeline helps preserve our collective leverage and keeps everyone focused on reaching a settlement while conditions are favourable for movement at the table.
Being clear about timing does not mean we want job action. It means we are using the tools our members have given us to push for a deal that better reflects your priorities and addresses the concerns you’ve raised throughout this round of bargaining.
Your bargaining team is entering mediation cautiously optimistic. The mandate you delivered sends a powerful message, and we believe there is a real opportunity to secure an agreement that improves meaningfully on NAIT’s last offer.
As always, we will keep you informed as mediation progresses. Because we are returning to formal mediation, we will not be able to share specific details from the table during this process, but we are committed to communicating clearly and promptly as soon as we are able to do so.
Thank you for your continued support, patience, and solidarity — it truly matters at the table.
In solidarity,
Shauna MacDonald (she/her/hers)
President, NAIT Academic Staff Association