McGill law professors’ union agrees to suspend strike, resume classes

By The Canadian Press on October 1, 2024.

A union representing McGill law professors has suspended a five-week-long strike and will allow classes to begin this week. McGill University is seen Friday, October 13, 2023 in Montreal. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Ryan Remiorz

MONTREAL – A union representing McGill law professors has suspended a five-week-long strike and will allow classes to begin this week.

McGill’s administration and the Association of McGill Professors of Law say they have decided to find a way to negotiate collective agreements jointly with other faculty unions, and classes will resume by Oct. 3.

The news comes a day after McGill threatened to cancel the fall semester if the union didn’t agree to a deal.

A message sent to law students this morning did not say whether McGill will drop its legal challenge of the faculty’s right to unionize, which was one of the union’s key demands.

The strike is suspended until a meeting with an arbitrator on Oct. 8, and the union says it’s aiming for the university to end legal challenges of its certification as well as that of nascent unions in the faculties of arts and education.

The union says students will be able to complete their semester without any loss of credits or delay.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 1, 2024.