Created: 12.Oct.2017
Last update: 17.Nov.2017
Section: Education
After college staff overwhelmingly rejected the most recent offer, the Ontario government is stepping in to get faculty & students back in the classroom early next week. However, the NDP is declaring that it will impede the back-to-work bill until Sunday, delaying the forced return. Twelve thousand faculty members and half a million students will remain idled in the province’s longest college strike until the legislation passes.
BackgroundOntario college faculty have been on strike since October 16, leaving students with the prospect of a late graduation or in some cases a lost year.[13 Nov 2017]
The College Employer Council pushed through a vote by OPSEU members (OPSEU is the faculty’s union) to take place Tuesday to Thursday, November 14-16.
The Whig Standard had a good summary of where things stood (13.Nov.2017).
[16 Oct 2017] Faculty strike could begin Monday
Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU) has rejected the latest offer from the College Employer Council and announced its intention to strike. The Council is calling for a direct strike vote from the 24 Ontario colleges’s faculty but OPSEU is rejecting the demand.
Quoted in the Kingston Whig-Standard on Wednesday, St. Lawrence College president Glenn Vollegbregt expressed optimism that a settlement would be reached but also said, “In the event of a strike, all our full-time programming and classes will be cancelled.”
Related LinksNDP vow to stall colleges’ back-to-work bill until Sunday (TorStar, 17.Nov.2017)
Striking college faculty reject contract offer, premier to meet with both sides (Whig, 16.Nov.2017)