Prince George, B.C. – The University of Northern BC and the UNBC Faculty Association have agreed upon an arbitrator to decide the terms still unresolved in a first collective agreement.   However it is unclear whether that choice has been approved by the Labour Relations Board.

The Vice-President of the Faculty Association, Erik Jensen, says the parties agreed last Monday on Stan Lanyon as the arbitrator “and communicated this to the BCLRB.”

UNBC Vice-President External Relations Rob van Adrichem says his understanding is that the University and Faculty Association “have agreed on an arbitrator but have not yet reached out to him and confirmed his availability.”

Mr. Lanyon has been a well-known arbitrator and mediator on the British Columbia labour scene for decades and is a member of the National Academy of Arbitrators.  He was chair of the BC Labour Relations Board from 1992-96 and has practiced labour, criminal and civil law.

Faculty Association VP Jensen says dates for arbitration hearings have not been set, adding it will likely be several months before the hearings are held.

Compensation issues have been the main barriers to the parties reach this first contract agreement.  Eight of the 13 issues which remain outstanding deal with compensation.