The Brandon University Students' Union is demanding a tuition refund for the classes students have had to miss due to a faculty strike that is now in its 22nd day.

Professors, instructors, librarians and professional associates at the western Manitoba university have been on strike since Oct. 12, following months of contract negotiations with administration.

Members of the Brandon University Faculty Association walk the picket line on Tuesday, a day after mediation talks with administration had broken down. (CBC)

The latest round of talks, which included a provincial government-appointed mediator, broke down this week.

As the strike continues into its third week, the university is saving about $75,000 for every day it does not have to pay faculty, said student union president Deandra Tousignant.

"We're not in class. We should be compensated for the class time that we're missing while the university is saving money because they're not paying salaries," Tousignant told CBC News on Wednesday.

More than 1,000 students have already signed a petition calling for the tuition refund, Tousignant said.

The student union wants to see 2,000 to 3,000 signatures before it presents the petition to the university's board of governors, she added.