Professors and librarians at the University of Ottawa have voted to give their union a strike mandate.

In an email to its members on Wednesday night, the Association of Professors of the University of Ottawa's Executive Committee said 82 per cent of the nearly 700 ballots cast authorized the union to call a strike "if necessary."

Professors and librarians at the University of Ottawa have voted to give their union a strike mandate. (Facebook)

The committee said it "remains committed to negotiating a fair deal that promotes the quality of education and fair working conditions at the university."

Pay, pension reform and staff-to-student ratios are among the issues.

The association represents more than 1,200 profs and librarians.

Mediation is scheduled to begin on the weekend.