KAWARTHA LAKES-Negotiators in the three week old college strike have been called back to the bargaining table by the Ministry of Labour.
The strike is effecting about 300,000 students across the province. According to the Toronto Star the colleges and unions are about $250 million apart on wages and staffing demands. Union representatives in Lindsay told Kawartha 411 the strike is not about money they say it’s about job security and giving faculty more input into decision making and course content. The Star reports the union is demanding that 50 per cent of jobs be full-time. At present only about one third are full time.
An online petition started by students demanding a return of their tuition fees for every day classes are cancelled has already garnered 120,000 signatures. Student leaders from eight colleges have met with the minister responsible for post-secondary education,Deb Matthews, to pressure for an end to the strike.
The parties will be returning to the table November 2, 2017.
