Workers at Memorial University Newfoundland, MUN, are calling for the provincial government to step in and increase funding following news that MUN is facing a deficit of $8.9 million in their upcoming budget, CUPE 1615 is calling for immediate action to protect the province’s only public university.
“Funding to MUN has dropped by almost half since 2013. Our campuses are in poor condition. MUN can’t provide a safe learning environment for students or safe working conditions for MUN employees,” said Bill Kavanagh, president of CUPE 1615.
“This projected $9M budget deficit is either going to be another alarm bell we ignore—at the risk of our only public postsecondary institution, which educates and employs tens of thousands across the province—or it’s going to be an opportunity for the provincial government to step in and step up for the people of Newfoundland and Labrador.”
A recent report from the provincial Auditor General’s identified concerns which echo a 2014 audit in which recommendations were made to the province to have a long term plan to address crumbling infrastructure. Over ten years later, and the same issues not only remain, but are increasing in urgency.
“This failure by the university to effectively manage its resources, in combination with a massive drop in public funding, is a failure for our entire province,” said Sherry Hillier, CUPE Newfoundland & Labrador President. “If the ongoing Education Accord process is any indication, the province is looking to further limit what MUN can offer as a public university. Doesn’t Newfoundland and Labrador deserve a well-funded and world-class public postsecondary institution?”
CUPE 1615 represents Administrative, Instructional, Technical, and Technical Support Staff at the St. John’s, Signal Hill, Grenfell, and Labrador campuses. CUPE 1615 is one of almost 20 unions and campus associations aligned in a coalition calling for increased public funding to MUN. The coalition’s campaign, #FundMUN, launched last August.