Ontario Colleges on Strike

Faculty at Ontario’s 24 colleges went on strike on Monday, October 16, 2017. The strike affects more than 500,000 students in the province.

The affected colleges are: Algonquin, Cambrian, Canadore, Centennial, College Boreale, Conestoga, Confederation, Durham, Fanshawe, Fleming, George Brown, Georgian, Humber, La Cite collegiale, Lambton, Loyalist, Mohawk, Niagara, Northern, Sault, Seneca, Sheridan, St. Clair and St. Lawrence.

According to CTV the reason for the strike is:

“The Ontario Public Service Employees Union wants more job security and academic freedom for its members. They are calling for number of full time faculty to match the number of faculty members on contract, as well as an increased role for faculty in academic decision-making.

But the College Employer Council says meeting the union’s demands would add more than $250 million costs each year.

The council put forward a four-year-agreement that offers a 7.75 per cent pay increase and better conversion of contract faculty to full-time positions.”

As of Wednesday, October 18, 2017, it is still unclear when the strike might be resolved. Both sides say there are no talks scheduled.

A Change.org petition for college student fee refunds in light of the strike has garnered tens of thousands of signatures.