Contrary to media reports, OPSEU has not decided yet whether or not they will take the college’s “final” offer to their membership for a vote. According to the Mediator, OPSEU will notify the colleges on Monday of their decision.
Not sure why you’re so hostile. The point of my post was that the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities doesn’t seem to have any responsibilities in its portfolio — at least nothing to do with helping students, or creating a more efficient/effective system.
In answer to your post, luckily my daughter isn’t like you, so it’s doubtful that she’ll turn into a “drunken, filthy slut” in college.
Hopefully we get a final outcome as soon as possible. I really don’t think they should doddle today as the final bargaining options are on the table and they had all weekend. Let us know!
Students are the only people WITH power in this. But both the union and management ignore students because student protest is not well organized. What about peaceful sit-ins in front of the union and management offices within the colleges (and call the CBC to cover it). It worked for Ghandi and Martin Luther King, why not here?
Students have to get a bit mad at the current situation! Students are the pawns, make no mistake, and both management and the union are using students to get their way with the colleges minister, John Milloy. He wants to stay out f it, but should jump in with both feet.
The student federations have the power to push college presidents and MPPs as well as union local presidents to hear them and to stop what looks like a inevitable strike.
If you don’t push hard now then it WILL happen!
College Strike is the forum, but has to get going hard this week or it will be reporting picket lines and out of class students, just like in 2006 and more recently at York.
Waiting for the decision… Either way, there is not much us students can do. We need to go with the flow and accept whatever comes our way. HOWEVER, I think that a decision should be posted ASAP, as we all would like to know what what the next few weeks ahead of us will be like.
You know what I enjoy??? I enjoy being kept uninformed…. I enjoy not being heard and I truly enjoy being a pawn…. but you know what I enjoy the most?… Being told to bend over, grab my ankles and hope for the best… ….
Please don’t think that all Durham students think and act this way. I am a proud Durham student and truly hope that both the teachers and OPSEU can reach an agreement so we ALL (teachers,student and the union) can go back to working as a schooling community.
I predict that the offer will be declined.
Force the teachers back to the table then we get to wait one more time.
I am sure some lame counter offer will be presented as usual, then get declined by the teachers and followed up by another offer back. At least there is some communication happening between the two sides.
“At algonquin my teachers were telling us why they are doing this, they never settled the deal in 2006, so right now none of them have contracts they can be told to have a class at 5 am and one at 9pm and they cant do Sh** , it benefiting us too, because if they did do that, would you like your schedual? I hope they DONT go on strike if they do im SCREWD, all i can say is i hope they reach a deal before we all lose our year AND MONEY!!! Those who do want the strike why? for some time off? Well then dont bother going to college if you think that way. It is valuble time spent, education and money.”
I can see where the teachers are coming from and I support them in that regard (the whole being told to work at whatever time deal). A few teachers at Sheridan have mentioned it as well, as it has been directly affecting a few of my classes. I for one have a two and a half hour train ride to and from school every day. So far this semester I’ve gotten two classes that start at 8:00 and another class that ends at 6:00. Its not a huge deal, but having to wake up and get on a 5:30 AM train just to make it into my 8:00 AM classes, and at the same time getting home at like 9:00 from my 6:00 PM classes, does kind of suck .
Anyways, apparently they decide tomorrow so we’ll know soon. Or they’ll go on yet another recess.
The idea of a strike is abdolutely ridiculous, but I feel compelled to side with the teachers. I can personally say that I chose to go to a college for my education DUE IN PART to the fact that they HAVE smaller class sizes than universities. Increasing school population and class sizes is a selfish money grab by the board.
Durham Student, have a little self respect. Writing about how the teachers should think of us is all well and good. But when you write like a complete moron using phrases like “Won’t Have No” you only defeat your purpose.
It’s seems so easy for many of you to just say “they shouldn’t be allowed to strike” in regards to the teachers in Ontario. Does anyone on this page even know what it is the teachers want? Some of you need to do a little more research about what is being fought for. You might want to start with what happened last time the teachers accepted an offer. FYI they did it for the students. They put their interests aside to make sure students got their education. The problem here is the government of Ontario just as it has always been. Since I am speaking to a politically “marginalized” audience I will make this simple. VOTE! Next time their is a provincial election for MPP’s try voting instead of just talking and/or complaining. Please do some research on the party platforms as well as those individuals running in your riding.
I know there were some remarks about poor an rich students. If you want something bad enough, you will not stop until you get it. Envy will not help you with your education. I am a ‘poor’ (financially) student and I still have my 4.0 I may have had to work a little harder but I’m not sour about it. Once you get alittle older you’ll realize that no one wants to here about something you wanted to do, and no one will be there to here your complaints once you are dead. If you want to here such stories just go to any dirty tavern and find the brilliant person who goes there every day at 12pm. You will learn that he/she is in fact very smart but somehow got ’screwed’ over by the world. Curious is the fact that they are there all day but still manage to try their best to suceed. Now they are alone with their anger and regret. Regardless of what happens to the teachers and students this semester in Ontario; if you want it bad enough, you will get your chance. Best of luck to all of you. Keep your eyes on the prize!
I can see both sides of the strike, there is still a choice that needs to be made and it looks like a strike will happen. Now here are the facts, one if the strike happens there will be 43% of people on the lines who do not want to be there. Two they do have to give notice 6 days in advance which is stated by opseu. and three opsue has stated they will not go into abberation, so if they do deny the last offer a strike will happen. I have come to understand these terms and i am not happy about them but as a student i dont have a voice on the matter it is between the school and the teachers. We are just the innoccent bystanders caught in the eye of the storm.
Sorry to be so bold but i need to be to stop the argueing between the two sides.
Ken
I was so happy going into my final semester and I feel that this whole situation has put a damper on our learning experience its hard to focus when the possbility of a strike is looming and could disrupt all that I have planned for when I graduate. It’s not only messing with our schools but with our futures.
seriously people, the strike will not last that long IF it goes through, and you won’t lose your semester OR your year. It may be a couple extra weeks into april/may, but there’s nothing we can do about it. It’s not going to be ridiculous like the York strike, and i think people are confusing it way too much.
the teachers are not at fault, and those stupid walk outs people planned at colleges were redundant… seriously? you’re fighting to STAY in class, so you WALK out to show support? Or the one’s claiming they are soooooo stressed out from this ordeal that they are not attending classes or failing tests?
Dramatic much? My god, that’s using the strike as an excuse for your laziness. There is absolutely NOTHING we can do but wait until the final decision. No sense crying and freaking out over something that may or may not happen. Grow up, you’re in college now and it’s time to see that the real world is always like this. Striking is a part of life so that employees like YOU ALL WILL BE SOMEDAY don’t get jipped or over worked or not enough pay, etc.
How would you feel if an employer turned to you and said ‘oh because i didn’t sign your union agreement, you are now working 4am-8am instead of 5pm-9pm. tough luck’ You’d be pissed too.
Nothing we can do then sit and wait. No sense being a baby and using this as an excuse to skip out on classes. If you’re going to do it, be man/woman enough to say ‘i’m lazy’ instead of pointing the fingers at everyone else. Just go to class, it’s what you’re paying for anyway.
I don’t understand why is everyone so frustrated. I know how some students want to finish by this year, but why panic when nothing happened yet? i doubt that the strike would go on, and even if it did, im sure that college’s would do their best to make their students end the term by the end of this term. I hope everyone would go on as if there is no strike, and once the strike hits, then have some faith in your college’s that they’d do their best to make sure you as a student dont get affected.
This all happened back in 2006 when I was about to finish. We were off for almost 6 weeks. I had many teachers telling us that they were not in support of the strike. They would just rather finish out the semester and do their jobs rather then having to stand out at a picket line in the freezing weather. It was a big pain in the ass not knowing when we were going back and not knowing if we were going to finish the semester. But they extended the semester when we got back by 2 weeks and cut out a bunch of assignments. It really makes me wonder how important all these assignments and test are if they can just cut them out. Sorry to say but you don’t have any control over this and its nothing but a giant waiting game, while the two side go back and forward.
In reply to “cant stand whiny students”
Wow, you must think you are something special to think that ANYONE would be wanted that bad by a company that makes Millions of dollars a year to put business on hold just for you. I managed before I went back to school and I can tell you, that if you are expected to show up to work right after semester end, which is my last semester (which is the case for me, and this is a job that pays six figures), then you better be there. You obviously have not been in the workforce before. If the school strikes, and students are held up, they could lose their positions in jobs. This is a fact, and no, they do not care to wait for you. They do not care if the schools strike, they have money to make and if you are not there to do the job, someone else will, end of discussion. Get your head out of that smelly ass of yours and learn something. By the way you look at things, I can tell you think the world owes you and the world must stop and take notice when you are in the room. Education is a serious thing if you want a good job these days and no union/teacher has the right to take that away from a student that has payed for their education and want to learn. If they strike, sure, in many cases you will still graduate in time, but that is with a price. Your courses will be cut down, you will be given an easy way out and you will be out on time but you are not getting what you paid for. Students who want a strike are those that are hoping for an easy pass. If I do the work, I expect the reward. If teachers do not do the work, why should they get the reward? Your ignorance is showing, this is ALL ABOUT THE STUDENTS. THEY PAY FOR TEACHERS TO BE THERE. NO STUDENTS, NO TEACHERS. TEACHERS HAVE IT BACKWARDS, THEY THINK THEY ARE OWED SOMETHING WHEN THEY OWE EVERYTHING TO THE STUDENT!!!!
To all of you who are telling students to relax and we are all winers, obviously, you live with mommy and daddy and they pay for your tuition, gas, food etc. Grow up!!! When are you ever going to learn that to make change, there must be ACTION!!! I paid for my semester out of my own pocket and support a family or eight. I paid to be educated and there is no excuse for what is going on. Teachers do not teach any more. There used to be a time when teachers actually cared about the students and educating others. It is now just a job but not like every other job. Where else do you get summers off and collect unemployment for a position that is guaranteed again the next semester? They are not laid off nor unemployed, they are on an extended break. In the real world this is called a leave of absence and is not paid. On top of this, teaching hours are 29hrs a week????The rest of the “40 hrs” is to be designated for answering students questions and marking and lesson plans!! However, many teachers will tell you how to get enrolled with a tutor if you need help and as far as lesson plans, many teachers do not even up date their notes. They are based on old texts with old text references. Come on people, students are being taken advantage of. We need to apply for a Students Union and then we can take care of business. We can actually get the teachers to teach and actually earn their pay rather than thinking we owe them because they went to University and spent a lot of time being educated. Tell me another job where you get the treatment that teachers do and get paid so much. Look at those who acually work for a living and do not make half of what they make for what the DONT DO!!!
I went through the applicaton process and there was never a time a college forced me to accept one offer before waiting. i recall a service when I was allowed to change acceptance offers. Stop whining about your precious little daughter who will become a drunken, filthy slut once she enters post-secondary education….You should check out the college applicaton acceptance system, that is what I did and it worked well for me.
Durham student, stop being so fucking selfish…yeah, all about the “poor students”..well teachers do have rights too. I see emails from students, being abusive because “poor student” got a shitty mark.
My goodness, for once evaluate all sides of the issue, then decide. By the way, if your employer wants you bad enough, I am sure the employer would reserve a spot for your ass. If not, do not blame the teachers.
On the other side… I think the province would be even more nervous with over 200 000 students having nothing to do. I mean, what do we usually do when we get bored? *chuckles*
At algonquin my teachers were telling us why they are doing this, they never settled the deal in 2006, so right now none of them have contracts they can be told to have a class at 5 am and one at 9pm and they cant do Sh** , it benefiting us too, because if they did do that, would you like your schedual? I hope they DONT go on strike if they do im SCREWD, all i can say is i hope they reach a deal before we all lose our year AND MONEY!!! Those who do want the strike why? for some time off? Well then dont bother going to college if you think that way. It is valuble time spent, education and money.
In reply to RELAXED…….my son went through the last strike with York in 2009. Not only was he not able to finish his school year on time, he was delayed in joining his apprenticeship program due to his final marks not being ready in time. Not only did it postpone his applications, he almost did not get into the program because of the strike. He finally got a position with a company but it has extended his graduation by a year! It was an extremely emotional and frustrating time for all of us concerned. His girlfriend missed out on the entire summer’s employment because of the strike. By the time she got out of school, the jobs were all gone for the summer. One of our friend’s daughters dropped out for the 2nd term due to the strike at York because she could not get back into the swing of studying and rather than fail the year, she chose to wait til the following term to go back. Now she is delayed in graduating as well. I also have another friend whose daughter is going through to be a paramedic and faces not being able to get her required “ride-out” hours in order to write a final test which enables her to become a paramedic due to the looming strike. If the colleges go on strike, she cannot continue to do her ride outs with the paramedics because technically, she is not in school while they are on strike and it has to do with liabilities etc. So, you can see why the students are concerning themselves with a strike looming over their heads and having a hard time concentrating on studying right now. I still say, NO TO THE STRIKE.
Colleges Minister Milloy says he has to stay at arms length. Well arms length will surely lead to 200,000 student being out of class very soon. Strikes are what unions do best and that’s where this dispute is quickly heading. OPSEU has a 58 million dollar strike fund and could keep teachers out well into the spring if they want to, so this is not the time to play chicken, as everyone’s goose will surely be cooked!
E-mail Colleges Minister John Milloy and tell him to roll up his sleeves and get to work before it is too late.
I have just read some of the comments on this blog and I truly feel your frustration. However, you must understand that unless a Prof. is a union rep., we really don’t know what is happening. I just learned today that their might be another vote. The union has been sending around propaganda to encourage more support for their efforts, but, believe it or not, the majority of us DO NOT WANT TO STRIKE! More would be lost than gained. The issue, so I’m told is not money. As a partial load instuctor, none of the issues would benefit us at all.
Do not despair. If there is a strike, it won’t last long AND you will not lose your semester. The last strike lasted three weeks and the semester was saved. We lost our pay, however, and the schools gained because they didn’t have to pay us. Stupid, EH?
There is nothing we can do, other than to continue on with our studies and attend our classes. There is no need to get yourselves all tied up into knots. This does not effect our level of education or take away the possibility of graduating. It simply pushes us back in time with this term. So continue on with your regular schedule and put your best self forward in being a successful student….
LISTEN/LOOK!! To everyone who says why don’t they think about the students? They do!
Here is what they thought, They waited for us to return to school to strike, they intentionally waited until the final semester until people graduate, and they intentionally waited to call for a strike until after you could no longer receive a refund and drop out of school.
Everyone needs to understand you have been played a fool by the teachers association. They knew what they were doing all along.
And they waited until you could not get a refund and drop out, so they had their backs covered financially and the school would be safe financially.
This was planned and well thought out. Don’t be foolish……This is a strategic strike where the only people who can lose is the students and the teachers association blames our loss of education on the other side.
I think the students should just walk out because if they do then teachers won’t have no reason to strike. Why do they really want to do this in the middle of the semester for? Are they that retarded? Like some students have placements and they need their hours in order to graduate. STOP and THINK about the students for once. Forget striking their is NO reason to STRIKE!!
STudentss go on strike- teachers won’t have no students to teach.
Teach them a lesson if they want to strike.!!!
And why are they taking soo loong for a dam decision it does not take 2 weeks??
students can’t wait… just give teachers what they want and get over with it so we can all not stress over strike and get on with school.
LIKE MAKE A DAMM DECISION FOR GOD’S SAKESSSS
HURRY UP!!!!
I think the students should just walk out because if they do then teachers won’t have no reason to strike. Why do they really want to do this in the middle of the semester for? Are they that retarded? Like some students have placements and they need their hours in order to graduate. STOP and THINK about the students for once. Forget striking their is NO reason to STRIKE!!
STudentss go on strike- teachers won’t have no students to teach.
Teach them a lesson if they want to strike.!!!
And why are they taking soo loong for a dam decision it does not take 2 weeks??
LIKE MAKE A DAMM DECISION FOR GOD’S SAKESSSS
HURRY UP!!!!
students can’t wait… just give teachers what they want and get over with it so we can all not stress over strike and get on with school.
I think the students should just walk out because if they do then teachers won’t have no reason to strike. Why do they really want to do this in the middle of the semester for? Are they that retarded? Like some students have placements and they need their hours in order to graduate. STOP and THINK about the students for once. Forget striking their is NO reason to STRIKE!!
STudentss go on strike- teachers won’t have no students to teach.
Teach them a lesson if they want to strike.
To Everyone Unions use to be good and for some companys they are but rarely do they ever fight for safety and human rights in the work place anymore. Plus we all know people skim money off union dues! ask Jimmy Hoffa …. Anyways i dont think public service like teachers, garbagemen, nurses should be aloud to strike we pay for there jobs and there all pretty secure even in a resession (sorry im terrible with grammer and english in general its obviously not my strong point)
I too wrote to the Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities and received the same form letter in reply as Concerned Mom.
So, what do they do exactly? They also couldn’t help us when my daughter was applying to universities/colleges and the deadlines for acceptance were arbitrarily scheduled so that she had to accept one college while waiting for a preferred facility’s decision.
So, tell me John Milloy — what does your ministry do?
Binding arbitration should be applied in all cases of education workers’ strikes. Teachers know they have students and parents over a barrel and they use that position to gain wildly exorbitant wages and benefits (as well as “prep time” which is basically paid, free time).
Yes, Mike Harris was an ass, and he went too far with his agenda, but he had the right idea when it came to slapping down teachers’ unions.
As a student who went through the last strike as well all I have to say is relax and get over it. People are getting really dramatic over something that is for the students no more than a bit of an inconvenience. Everyone who continued to do there work and attend their classes once things were resolved the last time were able to graduate at the same time as before. Those (including myself) who were in there final year were still able to find successful jobs; many of which who have remained in their chosen field are still working in those jobs. As for this not knowing yet what is going on…there is no reason for it to affect your stress levels or studies. Continue going to class as usual, do you work and get over it. There is no need to let the potential of a strike ruin your term, it doesn’t really matter if you don’t know yet; when there’s a decision and it is actually affecting you they will tell you what is going on.
They can ask the union to do it for their members, if they don’t, the Council will put it to a vote. Its both sides playing a risky game, with the student caught in the middle.
I think that either teachers need to be considered an essential service or if they are allowed to strike, there should be no walking away from the table. They should be made to sit at the bargaining table until an agreement is reached, there should be no bullying or scare tactics used because both sides are supposed to be representing students fairly and in good faith. If they cant come to a decision then there should be an automatic third party arbitrator imposed and a contract would be worked out. Walking away from the table or saying this is our final offer is not bargaining in good faith, it is people who have too much power to get paid to sit and look tough and waste peoples time and money.
>I thought the deadline was noon? Why do they now have until Monday?
The “deadline” was imposed by the colleges, it has no force.
One of the main issues that I hear is colleges trying to impose lots of stuff on the teachers.
This is from http://collegeprof.ca/, a wonderful site with a great deal of useful information. Essentially, the issue is why College Management (“The Council”) doesn’t simply hold a vote itself? Interesting reading . . .
“The Colleges Collective Bargaining Act, 2008, says,
The Council may, no earlier than 15 days before the expiry of a collective agreement, make a request in writing to the Ontario Labour Relations Board that a vote of the employees be taken to accept or reject the offer of the Council last received by the employee organization in respect of all matters remaining in dispute between the parties to the collective agreement.
Only one [such] request may be made. . . .
As stated before, the College management claims:
Individual faculty members should be given the opportunity to democratically choose to accept the offer or go out on strike.
If the college management really believes this, then what is their justification for not exercising their legal power to order such a vote? Seriously: If you publicly claim that somebody should have an opportunity, and you singlehandedly have the right and power to give him or her that opportunity, and you decline to do so, then what does that make you?
It is management that is playing a game, and a risky one at that. They can put this final offer to the faculty for a vote themselves without he union involved, so why won’t they?
Hey does anyone know if the strike lasts for a certain period of time, will it cut into our summer vacation? If I had to work my ass off all winter and loose a chunk of my summer I’m going to be pissed!
We all know that the college’s would love for the staff to go on strike. It is a little known fact that a lot of the college’s are in debt and a strike would save them at least a few 10’s of thousands of dollars. Can you say bye bye debt if this lasts long enough? They try to make it seem like it’s about all of this other stuff and I think the colleges want the staff to go on strike so that their finances go up and they will have less debt. I agree with the teachers that the shorter semesters are stupid, they’ve already shortened it by a week and I know that my course is very robust and we’re rushing to make sure we cover everything. If they shorten it further, we’re going to be missing out on some material that we need to learn. I feel this is completely stupid for the colleges to want to shorten the semesters, all they can think about is how much money they can save. All they are is GREEDY!
ok, its bloody screwy, that one, the colleges did this so we would have to pay into half of the semester!!! They did that so we would be stuck, and not on a break from it all! That is what there complete deal was and why they set the date to vote the first time on a school day! just so that we would have to suffer with this idea hanging like a pengilin nearing our necks!…. sorry I will rant for this is what they wanted, our money, students at school, and then let us suffer for it all for the strike that many of the teachers at many colleges don’t want to happen!(which makes us ask you who the heck is making it go wrong!?) Well one, half the teachers are scared that they won’t get money because of this, and it drives them mad too! ….. I don’t know, all I know this is mostly a rip off to people that paid for the semester, compare to the people that didn’t have to pay for there educations that worries me more! And the part that everyone is dropping like flies cause they don’t want to be in a strike, because its more annoying then anything.
This whole situation is reason enough for the government to step in and deem teachers an essential service. If hospital workers can’t strike because it impacts patients access to care; why should teachers be able to impact the students access to education. teachers should realize they work in a service industry funded by the tax payers.
OPSEU, please take this to the members. This is their lives you are deciding on so the final decision must be left up to them. What are you worried about? I think it is high time the unions take a step back and figure out what they are really trying to do for the people. If they truly are in the business of looking after the best interests of their union members, then they should let their union members be the ones to make the final decision. Enough is enough…….get on with this and let’s keep the kids in school and stop messing around with their futures. Let them concentrate on their studies and not on this nonsense of “strike or no strike”. Now is the time for learning, not worrying. Take a vote and please ‘VOTE TO ACCEPT”. This is not the time to be striking. From all I can see, there is no public support for this. No one will be on the side of the strikers. Wouldn’t this be much more suited for a time when you can rally support for your cause, instead of pretty much making the public angry with you? As far as Mr. John Milloy goes, I sent him an email with regards to this strike and part of his reply was ” The Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities is not a party in the negotiations, and has no role in the bargaining process. While I am disappointed that college management and the union have so far been unable to reach an agreement, it would be inappropriate for me to comment on an ongoing labour matter between the colleges and the Ontario Public Service Employees Union. As negotiations continue, I strongly encourage both sides to keep the interests of students in mind.” Now I am not politically inclined but if you are the Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities, then wouldn’t anything to do with the colleges be your concern??? How is it that you have no role in the bargaining process nor be a part of the negotiations? Surely, the head man should be able to step up and have some say in all of this!! Just my opinion.
Enough is Enough… This UNION needs to make a decision tomorrow… We students already have enough to handle with school stress, we don’t need this strike business hanging over our heads. Do we not already have to worry about up coming exams, projects etc… now this strike? Really just let us know where you stand and what your plans are. We all know the UNION has their mind made up, they just want to drag this on as long as possible. They have no idea how much they are playing with our lives (as students) as well as our families lives. Open up your mind and announce the decision tomorrow. Don’t make us students wait all weekend to find out what you already know what you’re going to do.
union mentality requires stupidity… how much money do you think the average teacher loses by accepting this deal? they want 7.5% over 3 years they were offered 5.9 over 3 years… if you estimate the average college prof makes $65000? i dont know how reasonably that is… but 7.5% is $69875 while 5.9% is $68835… who strikes over $1000 dollars a year when they will likely lose more than that in lost wages while on strike?!
in summation, what we need isn’t negotiators, it’s math teachers and maybe common sense… i’m gonna be honest i wouldn’t mind a couple weeks to relax but at the same time, i know for a fact teachers will give us work due for when we get back so whats the point? for all those students out there hoping for a strike, you probably should just go find a minimum wage job somewhere if you can’t commit to school… there are lots of people desperate for work out there that are probably much more deserving than you.
the end
I think they’re just dragging it out until reading week! I hate this “not knowing”, it really creates a lot of stress and I hate not knowing when I’m going finish school!
I say it is time for management to get with the program and do some fair bargaining. The faculty will strike if their union tells them to do so and I bet they are getting their warm coats and boots ready!
Tell management and the union to stop playing around, as there is far too much at stake for this game to continue! And where is Colleges Minister John Milloy….. out of town…. out of touch?
Students’ education is on the line. Get some new negotiators in there who know the meaning of the word N-E-G-O-T-I-A-T-E!
This is ridiculous…just say yes or no already and STOP pretending this strike is for us…its ridiculous and we all know its a fucken lie….stop being greedy fuckheads and think of people other than yourselves
Ok, I have been through a local college strike during my last round of studies in northern Ontario, and I have been feeling a bit on the frustrated side with the way this strike has been handled. During the strike I’m mentioning I clearly remember that both sides of the table kept all of the students informed through not just the media, but also through posted information and use of student portals at the college itself with clearly set dates for when each step of the negotiations and decisions would be made.
I do realize it is more complicated since it is province-wide, and that there are really no set dates when it comes to negotiations. However, the lack of clarity and information being provided from both sides to those being directly effected by their negotiations (the students) is what frustrates me the most. I do not like the fact that we are being used as pawns either way, but I am even more frustrated at the fact that what little information that is being released has been very vague and it seems many of the dates/times have been misleading and inaccurate. I wish they would be more clear so we can plan things out and get on with our lives!
Just wondering if Mohawk College is the only college that appears to be keeping everthing ” a big secret”? They have been telling us students for the last 3 weeks that they don’t know whats happening but no matter what they will try their best to make sure we don’t loose our semester..
I believe that OPSEU needed/wanted more time to consult with their membership, because providing the colleges with an answer on whether or not their “final” offer would be voted on by the academic staff.
To: Can’t Stand Whiny Students
Not sure why you’re so hostile. The point of my post was that the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities doesn’t seem to have any responsibilities in its portfolio — at least nothing to do with helping students, or creating a more efficient/effective system.
In answer to your post, luckily my daughter isn’t like you, so it’s doubtful that she’ll turn into a “drunken, filthy slut” in college.
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“A strike date for Ontario’s colleges will be announced Monday at 2 p.m. during a news conference in Toronto, a local union official says”
source:
http://www.thepeterboroughexaminer.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=2300884
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Hopefully we get a final outcome as soon as possible. I really don’t think they should doddle today as the final bargaining options are on the table and they had all weekend. Let us know!
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Students are the only people WITH power in this. But both the union and management ignore students because student protest is not well organized. What about peaceful sit-ins in front of the union and management offices within the colleges (and call the CBC to cover it). It worked for Ghandi and Martin Luther King, why not here?
Students have to get a bit mad at the current situation! Students are the pawns, make no mistake, and both management and the union are using students to get their way with the colleges minister, John Milloy. He wants to stay out f it, but should jump in with both feet.
The student federations have the power to push college presidents and MPPs as well as union local presidents to hear them and to stop what looks like a inevitable strike.
If you don’t push hard now then it WILL happen!
College Strike is the forum, but has to get going hard this week or it will be reporting picket lines and out of class students, just like in 2006 and more recently at York.
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Waiting for the decision… Either way, there is not much us students can do. We need to go with the flow and accept whatever comes our way. HOWEVER, I think that a decision should be posted ASAP, as we all would like to know what what the next few weeks ahead of us will be like.
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If they decide that the strike is on.. what happens? do we go home right away no more classes.. or is there a week or a day or so that we have?
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You know what I enjoy??? I enjoy being kept uninformed…. I enjoy not being heard and I truly enjoy being a pawn…. but you know what I enjoy the most?… Being told to bend over, grab my ankles and hope for the best… ….
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WHAT’S WITH THE HOLD UP!!!! GIVE US AN ANSWER!!!
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Senneca has their strike information already on-line!
http://opseu560.org/
Looks like they are ready to start signing up for strike pay, can the other colleges be far behind?
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It looks like a strike is the only way to get the government involved.
So a strike there will be!
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OK… It’s Monday, give us an answer already!
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Hurry up and go on strike already i got a shit load of tests coming up, ya dig?
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Wow that was really rude.
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Please don’t think that all Durham students think and act this way. I am a proud Durham student and truly hope that both the teachers and OPSEU can reach an agreement so we ALL (teachers,student and the union) can go back to working as a schooling community.
We all need to stop being so selfish.
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What time will the decision be announced?
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I predict that the offer will be declined.
Force the teachers back to the table then we get to wait one more time.
I am sure some lame counter offer will be presented as usual, then get declined by the teachers and followed up by another offer back. At least there is some communication happening between the two sides.
I guess we find out in an hour or two.
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In reply to this:
“At algonquin my teachers were telling us why they are doing this, they never settled the deal in 2006, so right now none of them have contracts they can be told to have a class at 5 am and one at 9pm and they cant do Sh** , it benefiting us too, because if they did do that, would you like your schedual? I hope they DONT go on strike if they do im SCREWD, all i can say is i hope they reach a deal before we all lose our year AND MONEY!!! Those who do want the strike why? for some time off? Well then dont bother going to college if you think that way. It is valuble time spent, education and money.”
I can see where the teachers are coming from and I support them in that regard (the whole being told to work at whatever time deal). A few teachers at Sheridan have mentioned it as well, as it has been directly affecting a few of my classes. I for one have a two and a half hour train ride to and from school every day. So far this semester I’ve gotten two classes that start at 8:00 and another class that ends at 6:00. Its not a huge deal, but having to wake up and get on a 5:30 AM train just to make it into my 8:00 AM classes, and at the same time getting home at like 9:00 from my 6:00 PM classes, does kind of suck
.
Anyways, apparently they decide tomorrow so we’ll know soon. Or they’ll go on yet another recess.
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The idea of a strike is abdolutely ridiculous, but I feel compelled to side with the teachers. I can personally say that I chose to go to a college for my education DUE IN PART to the fact that they HAVE smaller class sizes than universities. Increasing school population and class sizes is a selfish money grab by the board.
Durham Student, have a little self respect. Writing about how the teachers should think of us is all well and good. But when you write like a complete moron using phrases like “Won’t Have No” you only defeat your purpose.
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Strike
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It’s seems so easy for many of you to just say “they shouldn’t be allowed to strike” in regards to the teachers in Ontario. Does anyone on this page even know what it is the teachers want? Some of you need to do a little more research about what is being fought for. You might want to start with what happened last time the teachers accepted an offer. FYI they did it for the students. They put their interests aside to make sure students got their education. The problem here is the government of Ontario just as it has always been. Since I am speaking to a politically “marginalized” audience I will make this simple. VOTE! Next time their is a provincial election for MPP’s try voting instead of just talking and/or complaining. Please do some research on the party platforms as well as those individuals running in your riding.
I know there were some remarks about poor an rich students. If you want something bad enough, you will not stop until you get it. Envy will not help you with your education. I am a ‘poor’ (financially) student and I still have my 4.0 I may have had to work a little harder but I’m not sour about it. Once you get alittle older you’ll realize that no one wants to here about something you wanted to do, and no one will be there to here your complaints once you are dead. If you want to here such stories just go to any dirty tavern and find the brilliant person who goes there every day at 12pm. You will learn that he/she is in fact very smart but somehow got ’screwed’ over by the world. Curious is the fact that they are there all day but still manage to try their best to suceed. Now they are alone with their anger and regret. Regardless of what happens to the teachers and students this semester in Ontario; if you want it bad enough, you will get your chance. Best of luck to all of you. Keep your eyes on the prize!
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I’m ready for a break from school haha
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The union is OK with management sending the offer to a vote, so what are they waiting for??
http://www.opseu.org/news/press2010/jan-29-2010.htm
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You’d think that paying more and more for our tuition every year was enough. Now we have to deal with the possibility of a strike, too!?
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I can see both sides of the strike, there is still a choice that needs to be made and it looks like a strike will happen. Now here are the facts, one if the strike happens there will be 43% of people on the lines who do not want to be there. Two they do have to give notice 6 days in advance which is stated by opseu. and three opsue has stated they will not go into abberation, so if they do deny the last offer a strike will happen. I have come to understand these terms and i am not happy about them but as a student i dont have a voice on the matter it is between the school and the teachers. We are just the innoccent bystanders caught in the eye of the storm.
Sorry to be so bold but i need to be to stop the argueing between the two sides.
Ken
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I was so happy going into my final semester and I feel that this whole situation has put a damper on our learning experience its hard to focus when the possbility of a strike is looming and could disrupt all that I have planned for when I graduate. It’s not only messing with our schools but with our futures.
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seriously people, the strike will not last that long IF it goes through, and you won’t lose your semester OR your year. It may be a couple extra weeks into april/may, but there’s nothing we can do about it. It’s not going to be ridiculous like the York strike, and i think people are confusing it way too much.
the teachers are not at fault, and those stupid walk outs people planned at colleges were redundant… seriously? you’re fighting to STAY in class, so you WALK out to show support? Or the one’s claiming they are soooooo stressed out from this ordeal that they are not attending classes or failing tests?
Dramatic much? My god, that’s using the strike as an excuse for your laziness. There is absolutely NOTHING we can do but wait until the final decision. No sense crying and freaking out over something that may or may not happen. Grow up, you’re in college now and it’s time to see that the real world is always like this. Striking is a part of life so that employees like YOU ALL WILL BE SOMEDAY don’t get jipped or over worked or not enough pay, etc.
How would you feel if an employer turned to you and said ‘oh because i didn’t sign your union agreement, you are now working 4am-8am instead of 5pm-9pm. tough luck’ You’d be pissed too.
Nothing we can do then sit and wait. No sense being a baby and using this as an excuse to skip out on classes. If you’re going to do it, be man/woman enough to say ‘i’m lazy’ instead of pointing the fingers at everyone else. Just go to class, it’s what you’re paying for anyway.
sheesh
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Dear All,
I don’t understand why is everyone so frustrated. I know how some students want to finish by this year, but why panic when nothing happened yet? i doubt that the strike would go on, and even if it did, im sure that college’s would do their best to make their students end the term by the end of this term. I hope everyone would go on as if there is no strike, and once the strike hits, then have some faith in your college’s that they’d do their best to make sure you as a student dont get affected.
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This all happened back in 2006 when I was about to finish. We were off for almost 6 weeks. I had many teachers telling us that they were not in support of the strike. They would just rather finish out the semester and do their jobs rather then having to stand out at a picket line in the freezing weather. It was a big pain in the ass not knowing when we were going back and not knowing if we were going to finish the semester. But they extended the semester when we got back by 2 weeks and cut out a bunch of assignments. It really makes me wonder how important all these assignments and test are if they can just cut them out. Sorry to say but you don’t have any control over this and its nothing but a giant waiting game, while the two side go back and forward.
Good luck to all!
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In reply to “cant stand whiny students”
Wow, you must think you are something special to think that ANYONE would be wanted that bad by a company that makes Millions of dollars a year to put business on hold just for you. I managed before I went back to school and I can tell you, that if you are expected to show up to work right after semester end, which is my last semester (which is the case for me, and this is a job that pays six figures), then you better be there. You obviously have not been in the workforce before. If the school strikes, and students are held up, they could lose their positions in jobs. This is a fact, and no, they do not care to wait for you. They do not care if the schools strike, they have money to make and if you are not there to do the job, someone else will, end of discussion. Get your head out of that smelly ass of yours and learn something. By the way you look at things, I can tell you think the world owes you and the world must stop and take notice when you are in the room. Education is a serious thing if you want a good job these days and no union/teacher has the right to take that away from a student that has payed for their education and want to learn. If they strike, sure, in many cases you will still graduate in time, but that is with a price. Your courses will be cut down, you will be given an easy way out and you will be out on time but you are not getting what you paid for. Students who want a strike are those that are hoping for an easy pass. If I do the work, I expect the reward. If teachers do not do the work, why should they get the reward? Your ignorance is showing, this is ALL ABOUT THE STUDENTS. THEY PAY FOR TEACHERS TO BE THERE. NO STUDENTS, NO TEACHERS. TEACHERS HAVE IT BACKWARDS, THEY THINK THEY ARE OWED SOMETHING WHEN THEY OWE EVERYTHING TO THE STUDENT!!!!
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To all of you who are telling students to relax and we are all winers, obviously, you live with mommy and daddy and they pay for your tuition, gas, food etc. Grow up!!! When are you ever going to learn that to make change, there must be ACTION!!! I paid for my semester out of my own pocket and support a family or eight. I paid to be educated and there is no excuse for what is going on. Teachers do not teach any more. There used to be a time when teachers actually cared about the students and educating others. It is now just a job but not like every other job. Where else do you get summers off and collect unemployment for a position that is guaranteed again the next semester? They are not laid off nor unemployed, they are on an extended break. In the real world this is called a leave of absence and is not paid. On top of this, teaching hours are 29hrs a week????The rest of the “40 hrs” is to be designated for answering students questions and marking and lesson plans!! However, many teachers will tell you how to get enrolled with a tutor if you need help and as far as lesson plans, many teachers do not even up date their notes. They are based on old texts with old text references. Come on people, students are being taken advantage of. We need to apply for a Students Union and then we can take care of business. We can actually get the teachers to teach and actually earn their pay rather than thinking we owe them because they went to University and spent a lot of time being educated. Tell me another job where you get the treatment that teachers do and get paid so much. Look at those who acually work for a living and do not make half of what they make for what the DONT DO!!!
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I hope there isn’t a strike. It’s students like that ‘Durham student’ who REALLY can’t afford to miss any schooling. Their grammar is horrible…
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Make a damn decision now, please. We’re tired of waiting for this nonsense. Pointless.
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Concerned Mom of 2
I went through the applicaton process and there was never a time a college forced me to accept one offer before waiting. i recall a service when I was allowed to change acceptance offers. Stop whining about your precious little daughter who will become a drunken, filthy slut once she enters post-secondary education….You should check out the college applicaton acceptance system, that is what I did and it worked well for me.
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Durham student, stop being so fucking selfish…yeah, all about the “poor students”..well teachers do have rights too. I see emails from students, being abusive because “poor student” got a shitty mark.
My goodness, for once evaluate all sides of the issue, then decide. By the way, if your employer wants you bad enough, I am sure the employer would reserve a spot for your ass. If not, do not blame the teachers.
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On the other side… I think the province would be even more nervous with over 200 000 students having nothing to do. I mean, what do we usually do when we get bored? *chuckles*
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At algonquin my teachers were telling us why they are doing this, they never settled the deal in 2006, so right now none of them have contracts they can be told to have a class at 5 am and one at 9pm and they cant do Sh** , it benefiting us too, because if they did do that, would you like your schedual? I hope they DONT go on strike if they do im SCREWD, all i can say is i hope they reach a deal before we all lose our year AND MONEY!!! Those who do want the strike why? for some time off? Well then dont bother going to college if you think that way. It is valuble time spent, education and money.
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In reply to RELAXED…….my son went through the last strike with York in 2009. Not only was he not able to finish his school year on time, he was delayed in joining his apprenticeship program due to his final marks not being ready in time. Not only did it postpone his applications, he almost did not get into the program because of the strike. He finally got a position with a company but it has extended his graduation by a year! It was an extremely emotional and frustrating time for all of us concerned. His girlfriend missed out on the entire summer’s employment because of the strike. By the time she got out of school, the jobs were all gone for the summer. One of our friend’s daughters dropped out for the 2nd term due to the strike at York because she could not get back into the swing of studying and rather than fail the year, she chose to wait til the following term to go back. Now she is delayed in graduating as well. I also have another friend whose daughter is going through to be a paramedic and faces not being able to get her required “ride-out” hours in order to write a final test which enables her to become a paramedic due to the looming strike. If the colleges go on strike, she cannot continue to do her ride outs with the paramedics because technically, she is not in school while they are on strike and it has to do with liabilities etc. So, you can see why the students are concerning themselves with a strike looming over their heads and having a hard time concentrating on studying right now. I still say, NO TO THE STRIKE.
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Colleges Minister Milloy says he has to stay at arms length. Well arms length will surely lead to 200,000 student being out of class very soon. Strikes are what unions do best and that’s where this dispute is quickly heading. OPSEU has a 58 million dollar strike fund and could keep teachers out well into the spring if they want to, so this is not the time to play chicken, as everyone’s goose will surely be cooked!
E-mail Colleges Minister John Milloy and tell him to roll up his sleeves and get to work before it is too late.
jmilloy.mpp@liberal.ola.org
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I have just read some of the comments on this blog and I truly feel your frustration. However, you must understand that unless a Prof. is a union rep., we really don’t know what is happening. I just learned today that their might be another vote. The union has been sending around propaganda to encourage more support for their efforts, but, believe it or not, the majority of us DO NOT WANT TO STRIKE! More would be lost than gained. The issue, so I’m told is not money. As a partial load instuctor, none of the issues would benefit us at all.
Do not despair. If there is a strike, it won’t last long AND you will not lose your semester. The last strike lasted three weeks and the semester was saved. We lost our pay, however, and the schools gained because they didn’t have to pay us. Stupid, EH?
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I was wondering..is that 1 week notice still on? or can they just walk off on Tuesday?
Thanks
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There is nothing we can do, other than to continue on with our studies and attend our classes. There is no need to get yourselves all tied up into knots. This does not effect our level of education or take away the possibility of graduating. It simply pushes us back in time with this term. So continue on with your regular schedule and put your best self forward in being a successful student….
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Here is what Premiere McGuinty thinks, and I think he is on the right track!
http://toronto.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20100129/comm_coll_100129/20100129/?hub=TorontoNewHome
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LISTEN/LOOK!! To everyone who says why don’t they think about the students? They do!
Here is what they thought, They waited for us to return to school to strike, they intentionally waited until the final semester until people graduate, and they intentionally waited to call for a strike until after you could no longer receive a refund and drop out of school.
Everyone needs to understand you have been played a fool by the teachers association. They knew what they were doing all along.
And they waited until you could not get a refund and drop out, so they had their backs covered financially and the school would be safe financially.
This was planned and well thought out. Don’t be foolish……This is a strategic strike where the only people who can lose is the students and the teachers association blames our loss of education on the other side.
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I think the students should just walk out because if they do then teachers won’t have no reason to strike. Why do they really want to do this in the middle of the semester for? Are they that retarded? Like some students have placements and they need their hours in order to graduate. STOP and THINK about the students for once. Forget striking their is NO reason to STRIKE!!
STudentss go on strike- teachers won’t have no students to teach.
Teach them a lesson if they want to strike.!!!
And why are they taking soo loong for a dam decision it does not take 2 weeks??
students can’t wait… just give teachers what they want and get over with it so we can all not stress over strike and get on with school.
LIKE MAKE A DAMM DECISION FOR GOD’S SAKESSSS
HURRY UP!!!!
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I think the students should just walk out because if they do then teachers won’t have no reason to strike. Why do they really want to do this in the middle of the semester for? Are they that retarded? Like some students have placements and they need their hours in order to graduate. STOP and THINK about the students for once. Forget striking their is NO reason to STRIKE!!
STudentss go on strike- teachers won’t have no students to teach.
Teach them a lesson if they want to strike.!!!
And why are they taking soo loong for a dam decision it does not take 2 weeks??
LIKE MAKE A DAMM DECISION FOR GOD’S SAKESSSS
HURRY UP!!!!
students can’t wait… just give teachers what they want and get over with it so we can all not stress over strike and get on with school.
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I think the students should just walk out because if they do then teachers won’t have no reason to strike. Why do they really want to do this in the middle of the semester for? Are they that retarded? Like some students have placements and they need their hours in order to graduate. STOP and THINK about the students for once. Forget striking their is NO reason to STRIKE!!
STudentss go on strike- teachers won’t have no students to teach.
Teach them a lesson if they want to strike.
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To Everyone Unions use to be good and for some companys they are but rarely do they ever fight for safety and human rights in the work place anymore. Plus we all know people skim money off union dues! ask Jimmy Hoffa …. Anyways i dont think public service like teachers, garbagemen, nurses should be aloud to strike we pay for there jobs and there all pretty secure even in a resession (sorry im terrible with grammer and english in general its obviously not my strong point)
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I too wrote to the Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities and received the same form letter in reply as Concerned Mom.
So, what do they do exactly? They also couldn’t help us when my daughter was applying to universities/colleges and the deadlines for acceptance were arbitrarily scheduled so that she had to accept one college while waiting for a preferred facility’s decision.
So, tell me John Milloy — what does your ministry do?
Binding arbitration should be applied in all cases of education workers’ strikes. Teachers know they have students and parents over a barrel and they use that position to gain wildly exorbitant wages and benefits (as well as “prep time” which is basically paid, free time).
Yes, Mike Harris was an ass, and he went too far with his agenda, but he had the right idea when it came to slapping down teachers’ unions.
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As a student who went through the last strike as well all I have to say is relax and get over it. People are getting really dramatic over something that is for the students no more than a bit of an inconvenience. Everyone who continued to do there work and attend their classes once things were resolved the last time were able to graduate at the same time as before. Those (including myself) who were in there final year were still able to find successful jobs; many of which who have remained in their chosen field are still working in those jobs. As for this not knowing yet what is going on…there is no reason for it to affect your stress levels or studies. Continue going to class as usual, do you work and get over it. There is no need to let the potential of a strike ruin your term, it doesn’t really matter if you don’t know yet; when there’s a decision and it is actually affecting you they will tell you what is going on.
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Please Strike!!
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They can ask the union to do it for their members, if they don’t, the Council will put it to a vote. Its both sides playing a risky game, with the student caught in the middle.
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I think that either teachers need to be considered an essential service or if they are allowed to strike, there should be no walking away from the table. They should be made to sit at the bargaining table until an agreement is reached, there should be no bullying or scare tactics used because both sides are supposed to be representing students fairly and in good faith. If they cant come to a decision then there should be an automatic third party arbitrator imposed and a contract would be worked out. Walking away from the table or saying this is our final offer is not bargaining in good faith, it is people who have too much power to get paid to sit and look tough and waste peoples time and money.
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>I thought the deadline was noon? Why do they now have until Monday?
The “deadline” was imposed by the colleges, it has no force.
One of the main issues that I hear is colleges trying to impose lots of stuff on the teachers.
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I heard that if there is going to be a strike it’s going to be in march, is that true? wtf is going on, we need more details!
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This is from http://collegeprof.ca/, a wonderful site with a great deal of useful information. Essentially, the issue is why College Management (“The Council”) doesn’t simply hold a vote itself? Interesting reading . . .
“The Colleges Collective Bargaining Act, 2008, says,
The Council may, no earlier than 15 days before the expiry of a collective agreement, make a request in writing to the Ontario Labour Relations Board that a vote of the employees be taken to accept or reject the offer of the Council last received by the employee organization in respect of all matters remaining in dispute between the parties to the collective agreement.
Only one [such] request may be made. . . .
As stated before, the College management claims:
Individual faculty members should be given the opportunity to democratically choose to accept the offer or go out on strike.
If the college management really believes this, then what is their justification for not exercising their legal power to order such a vote? Seriously: If you publicly claim that somebody should have an opportunity, and you singlehandedly have the right and power to give him or her that opportunity, and you decline to do so, then what does that make you?
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It is management that is playing a game, and a risky one at that. They can put this final offer to the faculty for a vote themselves without he union involved, so why won’t they?
check out this link:
http://www.humberfacultyunion.org/barg2009/Memo%20to%20Faculty%20re%20an%20Offer%20Vote.pdf
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Hey does anyone know if the strike lasts for a certain period of time, will it cut into our summer vacation? If I had to work my ass off all winter and loose a chunk of my summer I’m going to be pissed!
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We all know that the college’s would love for the staff to go on strike. It is a little known fact that a lot of the college’s are in debt and a strike would save them at least a few 10’s of thousands of dollars. Can you say bye bye debt if this lasts long enough? They try to make it seem like it’s about all of this other stuff and I think the colleges want the staff to go on strike so that their finances go up and they will have less debt. I agree with the teachers that the shorter semesters are stupid, they’ve already shortened it by a week and I know that my course is very robust and we’re rushing to make sure we cover everything. If they shorten it further, we’re going to be missing out on some material that we need to learn. I feel this is completely stupid for the colleges to want to shorten the semesters, all they can think about is how much money they can save. All they are is GREEDY!
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ok, its bloody screwy, that one, the colleges did this so we would have to pay into half of the semester!!! They did that so we would be stuck, and not on a break from it all! That is what there complete deal was and why they set the date to vote the first time on a school day! just so that we would have to suffer with this idea hanging like a pengilin nearing our necks!…. sorry I will rant for this is what they wanted, our money, students at school, and then let us suffer for it all for the strike that many of the teachers at many colleges don’t want to happen!(which makes us ask you who the heck is making it go wrong!?) Well one, half the teachers are scared that they won’t get money because of this, and it drives them mad too! ….. I don’t know, all I know this is mostly a rip off to people that paid for the semester, compare to the people that didn’t have to pay for there educations that worries me more! And the part that everyone is dropping like flies cause they don’t want to be in a strike, because its more annoying then anything.
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I wish some of you whiners would simply study.
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This whole situation is reason enough for the government to step in and deem teachers an essential service. If hospital workers can’t strike because it impacts patients access to care; why should teachers be able to impact the students access to education. teachers should realize they work in a service industry funded by the tax payers.
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OPSEU, please take this to the members. This is their lives you are deciding on so the final decision must be left up to them. What are you worried about? I think it is high time the unions take a step back and figure out what they are really trying to do for the people. If they truly are in the business of looking after the best interests of their union members, then they should let their union members be the ones to make the final decision. Enough is enough…….get on with this and let’s keep the kids in school and stop messing around with their futures. Let them concentrate on their studies and not on this nonsense of “strike or no strike”. Now is the time for learning, not worrying. Take a vote and please ‘VOTE TO ACCEPT”. This is not the time to be striking. From all I can see, there is no public support for this. No one will be on the side of the strikers. Wouldn’t this be much more suited for a time when you can rally support for your cause, instead of pretty much making the public angry with you? As far as Mr. John Milloy goes, I sent him an email with regards to this strike and part of his reply was ” The Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities is not a party in the negotiations, and has no role in the bargaining process. While I am disappointed that college management and the union have so far been unable to reach an agreement, it would be inappropriate for me to comment on an ongoing labour matter between the colleges and the Ontario Public Service Employees Union. As negotiations continue, I strongly encourage both sides to keep the interests of students in mind.” Now I am not politically inclined but if you are the Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities, then wouldn’t anything to do with the colleges be your concern??? How is it that you have no role in the bargaining process nor be a part of the negotiations? Surely, the head man should be able to step up and have some say in all of this!! Just my opinion.
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Enough is Enough… This UNION needs to make a decision tomorrow… We students already have enough to handle with school stress, we don’t need this strike business hanging over our heads. Do we not already have to worry about up coming exams, projects etc… now this strike? Really just let us know where you stand and what your plans are. We all know the UNION has their mind made up, they just want to drag this on as long as possible. They have no idea how much they are playing with our lives (as students) as well as our families lives. Open up your mind and announce the decision tomorrow. Don’t make us students wait all weekend to find out what you already know what you’re going to do.
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union mentality requires stupidity… how much money do you think the average teacher loses by accepting this deal? they want 7.5% over 3 years they were offered 5.9 over 3 years… if you estimate the average college prof makes $65000? i dont know how reasonably that is… but 7.5% is $69875 while 5.9% is $68835… who strikes over $1000 dollars a year when they will likely lose more than that in lost wages while on strike?!
in summation, what we need isn’t negotiators, it’s math teachers and maybe common sense… i’m gonna be honest i wouldn’t mind a couple weeks to relax but at the same time, i know for a fact teachers will give us work due for when we get back so whats the point? for all those students out there hoping for a strike, you probably should just go find a minimum wage job somewhere if you can’t commit to school… there are lots of people desperate for work out there that are probably much more deserving than you.
the end
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I think they’re just dragging it out until reading week! I hate this “not knowing”, it really creates a lot of stress and I hate not knowing when I’m going finish school!
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I say it is time for management to get with the program and do some fair bargaining. The faculty will strike if their union tells them to do so and I bet they are getting their warm coats and boots ready!
Tell management and the union to stop playing around, as there is far too much at stake for this game to continue! And where is Colleges Minister John Milloy….. out of town…. out of touch?
Students’ education is on the line. Get some new negotiators in there who know the meaning of the word N-E-G-O-T-I-A-T-E!
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This is ridiculous…just say yes or no already and STOP pretending this strike is for us…its ridiculous and we all know its a fucken lie….stop being greedy fuckheads and think of people other than yourselves
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Hurry up and make up your damn mind already!!!
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Ok, I have been through a local college strike during my last round of studies in northern Ontario, and I have been feeling a bit on the frustrated side with the way this strike has been handled. During the strike I’m mentioning I clearly remember that both sides of the table kept all of the students informed through not just the media, but also through posted information and use of student portals at the college itself with clearly set dates for when each step of the negotiations and decisions would be made.
I do realize it is more complicated since it is province-wide, and that there are really no set dates when it comes to negotiations. However, the lack of clarity and information being provided from both sides to those being directly effected by their negotiations (the students) is what frustrates me the most. I do not like the fact that we are being used as pawns either way, but I am even more frustrated at the fact that what little information that is being released has been very vague and it seems many of the dates/times have been misleading and inaccurate. I wish they would be more clear so we can plan things out and get on with our lives!
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Just wondering if Mohawk College is the only college that appears to be keeping everthing ” a big secret”? They have been telling us students for the last 3 weeks that they don’t know whats happening but no matter what they will try their best to make sure we don’t loose our semester..
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Nothing is going to happen strike wise because they have waited to long now.
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WHY IT IS KEEP POSTPONING…GIVE US AN ANSWER!
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wait, so the have finally said that they are going to go on strike? or not? please explain for people with problems understanding this.
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No, OPSEU has not given notice to go on strike. We are only talking about having the academic staff vote on the college’s “final” offer.
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Aw wtf, more waiting… this is stupid.
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I’m in my final semester of school and this would absolutely ruin everything! Hopefully everything gets settled. NO STRIKE PLEASE!!!!
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I thought the deadline was noon? Why do they now have until Monday?
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I believe that OPSEU needed/wanted more time to consult with their membership, because providing the colleges with an answer on whether or not their “final” offer would be voted on by the academic staff.
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