To: Orvie Dingwall (President UMFA) University of Manitoba Faculty Association 100-29 Dysart Road Winnipeg, MB R3T 2M7 CC: Premier Heather Stefanson; Minister Scott Fielding, Minister of Finance; Minister Wayne Ewasko, Minister of Advanced Education, Skills and Immigration; Michael Benarroch, President and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Manitoba; UFMA; Manitoba Association of Health Information Providers November 9, 2021 Dear Ms. Dingwall, I am writing on behalf of the Ottawa Valley Health Libraries Association (OVHLA), a chapter of the Canadian Health Libraries Association (CHLA/ABSC) which represents twenty health-related libraries throughout the Ottawa Valley and the Outaouais, to express our support for our health librarian colleagues who are among the 1,265 librarians and archivists, professors, and instructors represented by the University of Manitoba Faculty Association (UMFA) and their pursuit of a fair contract and support for high-quality post-secondary education. We understand that, as of November 2, union members are on strike to ensure their salaries remain competitive and to protect the autonomy of the university from the interference of the provincial government’s wage mandate. This resulted after mediation failed to produce an agreement that prioritized faculty recruitment and retention. We support our many dedicated health sciences librarian colleagues who are on strike, including members of the CHLA/ABSC 2021 Virtual Conference Planning Committee and the provincial chapter of the Canadian Health Libraries Association, the Manitoba Association of Health Information Providers (MAHIP). Health sciences libraries and their staff are integral to advancing excellence in healthcare by enhancing learning, teaching, and research at the University of Manitoba. As per CHLA/ABSCs Statement on the Importance of Hospital Libraries (chla-absc.ca), health sciences libraries and librarians “have been at the forefront of the COVID-19 pandemic and resulting infodemic, supplying urgently needed evidence to health professionals and decision-makers in a rapidly evolving environment.” Our chapter members stand in support of UMFA members who are committed to the best standard of public education, student learning conditions and fair compensation for faculty until they achieve a fair settlement. Sincerely, Renée de Gannes-Marshall President, Ottawa Valley Health Libraries Association (OVHLA) PDF Version
