All Posts Tagged With: "Ontario College Strike"
Another layoff for mature students
A college strike would place an emotional toll on those who’ve returned to school after a job loss
After a hard year of unemployment and job uncertainty some people flocked to colleges that offered the promise of a new career path. But the possibility of a strike across college campuses in Ontario has some mature students comparing the situation to another layoff.
Related: Another year, another strike
“A lot of us, after getting laid off and going through all that uncertainty, looked to the education system as a place of safety,” said Don DeSchutter, 44, who is in his final year of a human resources program at Fanshawe College in London, Ont.
“People who are getting ready to get into second careers may not be able to do that now, their life is in the balance,” he added, painting the desperate situation mature students are in as whispers of “strike” emanate through college classrooms and corridors.
Students in 24 community colleges provincewide are worried about a possible strike after talks between Colleges Ontario and the Ontario Public Service Employees Union, which represents 9,000 teachers, counsellors and librarians, broke down last Tuesday. The union has set a strike vote for Jan. 13.
Last year’s strike at York University by teaching assistants, contract faculty and graduate assistants, affected about 50,000 students and lasted 12 weeks. The faculty were legislated back to work by the province. In 2006, OPSEU led a strike that shut down colleges for 21 days.
A strike this time around would be especially challenging to students relying on a college program to jump-start a new career after a tough recession. Since 2008, Ontario’s Second Career program, which offers skills, training and financial support to laid off-workers, approved over 21,000 people for the program.
One of the people to take advantage of that opportunity was DeSchutter, who was laid off from a furniture warehouse job shortly after his wife had a baby. The father of four thought school would open more doors. But financially, it’s been challenging. He’s raising a family of six on $27, 000 a year while he completes his schooling, and talk of a strike has made him nervous.
“It’s a lot of stress when you have four kids, and you’re a father and you’re wondering how you’re going to provide for them and if a strike goes on you don’t know how that’s going to affect your career, your financial aid,” he said.
College students fear another York
Students sound off over threat to school year
Fearing a repeat of 2006 when Ontario college faculty went on strike for nearly a month, or, worse, a repeat of the 2008/09 York strike where faculty walked for three months, Ontario college students have started an online petition opposing a work stoppage. The petition so far has nearly 2000 signatures.
Negotiations between college management and the the faculty union broke down earlier this week, and a strike vote is scheduled for January 13th. Some 500,000 students could have their school year interrupted.
Related: Another year, another strike
A Facebook group titled “Ontario College Students Against a Strike” has more than 12,000 members and counting. The group was created by Graeme McNaughton, who was quoted in the Toronto Star today drawing comparisons with the York walkout. “We don’t want a strike to happen. My sister went to York last year and lost out on a summer job because that strike,” he said.
Much of the group’s message board is filled with students concerned over losing their term, not getting their money’s worth in a shortened term, or missing out on summer jobs due to an extended school year. Much of the anger is directed towards the Ontario Public Service Employees Union. One student wrote: “I understand that they feel overworked and underpaid . . . How does ruining all of our semesters going to help that?”
The College Students Alliance is calling on both sides to work to come to an agreement. “Students are concerned with the fact that, yet again, there is a threat of a province-wide faculty strike looming over their education,” says CSA president Justin Fox. “Students do not want a repeat of the 21 day strike of 2006, which nearly cost many their semester and graduation.”
The CSA also points out that many college students are in government retraining programs, meaning a strike could have far reaching economic consequences during a fragile recovery.
Editor’s note: This post has been updated to correct for the number of college students. It was previously stated that there were 200,000 college students in Ontario. The correct number is 500,000 comprising of 350,000 full time students and 150,000 part time students.
Another year, another strike
Ontario college faculty to hold strike vote in January
Negotiations between Ontario colleges and faculty have broken off, and a strike vote is planned for January 13, it was announced today.
Related: College students fear another York
Talks initially broke down in early November when the College Compensation and Appointments Council imposed a contract on faculty. The Appointments Council represents all 24 community colleges in Ontario and negotiates on their behalf as a block. Provincial legislation permits college management to unilaterally draw up an agreement when negotiations stall. This power does not necessarily preclude renewing negotiations.
The Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU), representing 9,000 faculty at the 24 community colleges, wants greater commitments on workloads and educational quality. The union also wants academic freedom to be protected in colleges the way it is in universities. While OPSEU insists wages are not the issue, management says OPSEU’s initial offer was unaffordable. The union wants wage increases of 2.5 per cent a year for the life of the contract, which is three years.
Negotiations had previously resumed on November 30, but did not continue. Discussions resumed again this past Monday.
In a media release, the colleges say that the union’s demands would cost an additional $218 million and would “significantly impact on the delivery of academic programs and college governance.” Rachael Donovan, chair of the colleges’ bargaining team, says “We had hoped the union would bring its positions in line with the current economic environment and the four recommendations of the Joint Workload Taskforce Report. This did not happen.”
The Joint Task Force made recommendations regarding flexibility in workload, evaluation of faculty, out of class assistance for students, and professionals standards and relationships. The recommendations were made jointly by the colleges and the union after an 18 day strike in 2006.
Ted Montgomery, chair of OPSEU’s bargaining team, says management has distorted the financial costs of their demands. “We have tabled an offer that is affordable and which should have been acceptable,” Montgomery said.
If college faculty vote to strike, the earliest they could walk off the job is January 18. Some 500, 000 students could have their school year interrupted.
Editor’s note: This post has been updated to correct for the number of college students. It was previously stated that there were 200,000 college students in Ontario. The correct number is 500,000 comprising of 350,000 full time students and 150,000 part time students.
