The Association of Professors of the University of Ottawa (APUO) is asking for judicial review regarding raises given to two senior university administrators.
The APUO, which represents 1,250 full-time faculty and librarians, is alleging that raises given to vice-president of research Dr. Mona Nemer and to the dean of the School of Medicine, Dr. Jacques Bradwejn violates Ontario’s public sector wage freeze.
The APUO says it’s taking legal action after the university and the Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities, Reza Moridi, ignored their complaints, according to the Ottawa Citizen.
According to the Ontario’s annual sunshine salary disclosure, Nemer’s salary went up by $132,304 between 2012 and 2014, to $392,058. According to the Citizen, the university says $120,000 of the increase comes from four years’ worth of $30,000 annual stipend for Nemer’s work as a cardiovascular scientist, and was paid as a lump sum.
The APUO, and three other unions representing U of O employees, raised issues with Nemer’s pay increases earlier this summer, when they published an open letter asking for an explanation from the university’s board of governors.
Meanwhile Bradwejn’s salary went up $36,000 between 2012 and 2014 to $422,572, more than what U of O president Allan Rock earned in 2014.
These salary increases come as the university projects a third consecutive financial deficit, and tuition fees were increased for the tenth consecutive year.
The university has confirmed that it has been served, but did not wish to make any further comment at this point. The APUO has not yet replied to the Fulcrum’s request for comment at the time of publication.
