Defence Fund President's Report to CAUT Council
Spring 2005

Like a year ago, Defence Fund Trustees held a teleconference a few days prior to the year-end holidays, this time at the request of FAUST, the faculty association of St. Thomas University in Fredericton. On December 16, 2004, after conciliation talks broke off, the St. Thomas faculty were expecting a "No Board Report" from the New Brunswick Minister of Labour, which could have resulted in a lock out or strike situation in January, 2005.FAUST subsequently held a strike vote January 14-17, 2005, while no less than 12 Defence Fund Trustees had given their names to fly or drive to Fredericton in support as soon as the job action would begin. Meanwhile, FAUST President Jeannette Gaudet had informed me that the Administration had asked the government to name a mediator; she also was adamant that FAUST would not set aside the issues they had wanted to be addressed throughout the negotiation. A tentative agreement was finally reached on January 21, 2005.

The other newsworthy event has been the official unionization of the St. Francis Xavier Association of University Teachers on February 27, 2005. On January 18, 2005 I had sent a letter to STFXAUT President Robert van den Hoogen supporting the unionization drive, following the request he had sent through CAUT. Several Defence Fund Trustees sent letters explaining the benefits that resulted from having a union.

I thank everyone involved in assisting the Defence Fund among the CAUT staff.

In solidarity, and respectfully submitted by

Jean-Charles Cachon
President and Trustee (Laurentian)
April 2005