The Canadian Press
TORONTO–Classes were cancelled for about half-a-million students in Ontario yesterday as faculty at the province’s colleges went on strike.
The labour dispute involving more than 12,000 professors, instructors, counsellors, and librarians began late Sunday after the two sides couldn’t resolve their differences by a deadline of 12:01 a.m. Monday.
Both sides said no talks are scheduled to end the dispute that involves Ontario’s 24 colleges.
Daytime classes at all colleges across the province were cancelled but many night classes continued.
Advanced Education minister Deb Matthews said yesterday she hopes the dispute is settled soon.
“I think we have to let the collective bargaining process work and give it the space to do that,” she remarked.
“But it’s very important for students that they do get back to the table and find a resolution, and get students back in the classroom.”
More than 45,000 people have signed a petition calling for a tuition reimbursement for each day lost to a strike.
Matthews would not comment on that idea or the possibility of eventual back-to-work legislation, saying she wouldn’t discuss hypotheticals.
George Brown College student Hadi Syed said the picket lines took him by surprise when he arrived at the school yesterday morning.
He was aware of the ongoing talks between the colleges and union, but didn’t realize they had soured.
“I’m really surprised it’s come to this,” he noted.
Syed, who has come to Ontario from Dubai to take a one-year sports and event management program, said he’s concerned any change to his schedule could put a co-op placement set for next semester in jeopardy.
“It’s going to be very challenging,” he warned. “It has to be squeezed into this semester.
“It can’t carry forward to the next semester as maybe some other, longer programs would have,” he added.
“It is quite concerning.”
Laura Hagarty, a third year landscape design student at Fanshawe College in London, Ont., said a two-month trip to Italy and Spain she and 18 fellow students were scheduled to take starting next week has been cancelled because of the strike.
Beyond that disappointment, the labour action throws the whole semester into question, she noted.
“With this strike, it is almost certain we could lose out on our semester, which, in turn, results in a loss of graduating in April, 2018,” Hagarty said.
“The [potential] loss of this semester means our graduation is pushed back, our careers are pushed back, and our lives are put on hold.”
