Update on KFA Layoff Consultation and March 3 Special General Meeting

Dear KFA Colleagues,

I am writing to update you on the layoff consultation process and related developments as well as to encourage you to attend the KFA Special General Meeting on March 3rd.

Layoff Consultation Process

On February 11, 2026, the Employer contacted the KFA to schedule a consultation meeting regarding anticipated layoffs, and this meeting occurred on February 24th, 2026.

Yet, KPU published budget documents in May 2025 that identified “reducing budgets and the number of employees at the university” as a primary challenge. Between May 2025 and February 2026, KPU administration communicated expected layoffs through presentations to Senate subcommittees, Senate, and the Board of Governors, as well as through Communicator messages to the University community. In other words, KPU administrators produced budget documents and communicated expected layoffs to governance bodies for over nine months before initiating consultation with the KFA in regard to faculty reductions.

The KFA’s position is that the Employer was required to consult with the Union “as soon as known” under Article 7.01 of our Collective Agreement which would have been far in advance of February 2026, and, legally, such consultation must occur prior to any decision having been made on either the budget or the layoffs. The KFA has filed a grievance regarding the Employer’s compliance with the KPU-KFA Collective Agreement.

This is not the first time these senior administrators have failed to meet consultation obligations under the Collective Agreement.

In a recent arbitration decision, Arbitrator Randy Noonan found that the Employer violated its duty to consult when it “contractually bound itself to a process” before initiating consultation with the KFA. The arbitrator noted that consultation must occur before the Employer commits to a course of action and ordered the Employer to pay the Union $5,000 for violating its duty to consult—a rare financial sanction demonstrating the seriousness of the breach.

Dr. Diane Purvey, then Provost and VP Academic, and Jenn Harrington, then Senior Manager Labour Relations, heard this grievance at Step 3 and were responsible for the Employer’s Step 3 grievance response. Further, in this specific case, it was Jenn Harrington who was named in the arbitration in connection to the consultation process with Mark Diotte of the KFA.

Despite this prior ruling against KPU, the current layoff consultation follows the same pattern: KPU documented its intent to reduce employees in May 2025, presented layoff plans to governance bodies, announced layoffs publicly, and only then contacted the KFA in February 2026.

Both Dr. Purvey and Ms. Harrington have since been promoted to their current positions as Acting President and Interim Vice President Human Resources, respectively, and the budget and layoff consultation process has occurred under their direction.

Effective Date of Layoffs

The Employer’s February 18 Communicator message conveyed that any layoffs would be effective August 28, 2026, as it stated that retirement incentive applications must be connected to layoff mitigation through retirements on or before August 28, 2026.

Historically, effective dates of layoffs at KPU are September 1 for the Fall term. The KFA believes that the August 28 date may have been chosen to create a loss of FTE for affected faculty, that the selection of the August 28th date may reduce severance entitlements by one month (for those for whom August would complete their appointment year), and may further reduce the ability of some members to progress to a new salary scale step.

The KFA has asked the Employer to reconsider this effective date and are awaiting a response.

Provincial Funding Cuts

One aspect of the anticipated layoffs is purported Provincial funding cuts. KPU informed the KFA that the BC Provincial Government will reduce funding to Adult Basic Education (ABE) and English Language Learning (ELL) programs by 43% effective for the 2026-2027 fiscal year.

In response to these cuts, KPU plans to reduce English upgrading and ELL course offerings and discontinue courses in Biology, Chemistry, Physics, and Mathematics effective September 2026.

The KFA has contacted the Post-Secondary Education and Future Skills Ministry and local MLAs for confirmation of the funding reduction but is aware of no response to date.

What the KFA is Doing

• Advocating for reconsideration of the August 28 effective layoff date
• Engaging with the Ministry of Post Secondary Education and Future Skills and MLAs regarding provincial funding cuts
• Preparing to support affected members through the consultation and mitigation process
• Filed a grievance regarding consultation process violations
• Holding a SGM to discuss confidence in KPU senior administration
   

Special General Meeting – March 3, 2026

The KFA will hold a Special General Meeting on Tuesday, March 3 to address concerns raised by faculty members about confidence in KPU senior administration’s ability to govern the University.

While KPU’s new president commenced his term in September 2025, his current status remains unclear. The senior administrators who were the subject of faculty concerns under the previous president are now acting in higher positions.

Your participation and voice at this meeting are critical. We look forward to hearing from membership.

In Solidarity,

Mark Diotte
President, Kwantlen Faculty Association, president@yourkfa.ca