BY KEITH LACEY
[email protected]
Tens of thousands of students across Ontario are sitting on pins
and needles waiting to hear word about a possible return to the
classroom as negotiations have resumed to try and end the strike
that has shut down the province's 24 community colleges.
Chris Bentley, Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities, got the bargaining committee for the Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU), representing 9,100 professors, counsellors and librarians, and the province's college management team to commit to resuming talks Monday in Toronto.
After a 12-hour bargaining session, talks resumed Tuesday.
"The fact they talked for 12 hours Monday is really good news," said Rob Majury, president of the Students' Administrative Council (SAC) at Cambrian College. "The fact neither side walked out and left the table is very encouraging as is the fact talks continue today (Tuesday)."
With the labour dispute now in its third week and the end of the scheduled school year only a couple of weeks away, it's crucial the labour dispute come to an end by Friday so classes can resume next Monday, said Majury.
"Anything after Friday would be devastating as finishing the school year on time would be next to impossible," he said. "The time has come for the union and management to keep talking and end this strike in the next couple of days."
Students weren't overly upset during the first days of the strike as they saw it "as an extended March Break". However, the end of the school year is creeping up quickly and many students still need to complete work placements and major projects and assignments in order to graduate or finish their school year, said Majury.
"We're telling all students to keep up with their studies and be prepared for an overwhelming amount of work that will be put before them if this strike is settled soon," he said. "The good news is the heavy workload would only be for a very brief period of time."
If the strike isn't settled by Friday, Majury expects a huge crowd to protest outside Sudbury MPP Rick Bartolucci's office Friday afternoon.
