College Students left in the dark. THE STUDENT PERSPECTIVE ON WEEK THREE OF THE ONTARIO COLLEGES STRIKE E R I C LU L A
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ollege students across Ontario are now faced with their third week of cancelled classes, following a faculty strike that began on Oct. 16. The timing of the strike was set by the Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU), due to a failure to reach an agreement during negotiations with the employer of college faculty, College Employer Council (CEC). Bargaining began on July 4, with the OPSEU focusing its concerns on “partial load� faculty. Contract workers provide 81 per cent of instructional time within colleges, but do not enjoy the same job security, access to benefits, or rate of pay as their full-time counterparts. After weeks of a perceived refusal of the CEC to address these concerns, OPSEU members voted to authorize the ability to call for a strike on Sept. 14. Almost a month and a half later, the two parties appear to be no closer to reaching a resolution, according to an OPSEU press release.