November 20, 2012 - 11:00am
***Classes cancelled tomorrow as CUPE 1858 continues job action; Classes and service to resume as normal on Thursday, Nov. 22***
VIU RELEASE: 2012/140
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Tuesday, November 20, 2012
NANAIMO, BC – Job action by the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) Local 1858 will continue at all Vancouver Island University (VIU) campuses **tomorrow, Wednesday, November 21, 2012**. This means that **all classes are cancelled for the day** with limited services available to students at all campuses.
However, CUPE 1858 has informed VIU that its members **will return to work on Thursday, November 22, 2012, when classes will go ahead and services will resume** as normal.
For November 21, limited services will include:
**Nanaimo:** Limited work/study space is available in the Computer Commons in the Library from 7:00 am to midnight, in the International Students Centre from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm and in the Upper Cafeteria from 6:00 am to 8:00 pm. Counselling for emergency situations will also be provided at Student Services from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm, and for International Students on an on-call basis.
**Cowichan:** Limited work/study space is available in the Students’ Commons area from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm. Counselling for emergency situations is also being provided.
**Powell River:** Limited work/study space is available in the computer lab. Counselling will also be provided from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm.
**Parksville/Qualicum:** The student study centre will be open from 8:30 am to 5:00 pm.
Updates on picket activity can be found at www.viu.ca/labourupdate. Students are encouraged to keep monitoring their emails for update messages. If there are any further questions that have not been addressed here, please email labourinfo@viu.ca or call (250)753-3245 or 1-888-920-2221.
VIU and CUPE remain committed to completing a negotiated settlement without further disruption to students. We regret the inconvenience this labour action is causing, especially for our students.
The next update will issued **tomorrow, Wednesday, November 21**, or earlier if events warrant. Updates will continue to be sent to all students by email through the Registrar’s Office, and posted on the VIU website at [www.viu.ca/labourupdate](http://www.viu.ca/labourupdate/), and on Twitter at @VIUNews.
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*ABOUT VIU: Vancouver Island University is Canada’s west coast university. Known as a centre of excellence for teaching, learning and applied research, VIU offers a diverse range of certificate, diploma and undergraduate and master degree programs to more than 18,000 students on campuses in Nanaimo, Powell River and Cowichan, and at the Parksville-Qualicum Centre. For more information visit [www.viu.ca](http://www.viu.ca/)*
**MEDIA CONTACTS**
Dan Hurley, Executive Director, University Relations, Vancouver Island University
P: 250.740.6150 E: Dan.Hurley@viu.ca Twitter: @VIUNews
Tags: In the Community
