Today a 12-week strike has finally ended. I believe this was the longest strike ever for York University. I have some friends studying at York University, Krystle and Joel have been stressing about this whole strike issue and so have many many other students.
The Government of Canada has finally stepped in, and finally did what was needed to be done, could've been done sooner.
Overall this strike was just not good. There is no better way to say it, a waste of money and time. This will also make Canada look bad for our reputation in education and again, our Government has managed to make fools of themselves. I cannot wait until we get some sort of Barack Obama Prime Minister. That will be the day.
Students have been out of school since Nov. 6 when about 3,400 contract faculty, teaching and graduate assistants walked off the job, in hopes of negotiating a new contract that offers improved job security and benefits.
The Government of Canada has finally stepped in, and finally did what was needed to be done, could've been done sooner.
The vote passed at around 10:15 a.m. with only eight members out of 61 voting against the bill. The new law will be given Royal Assent by 4 p.m.
"Ontario wants us to move forward now," Liberal Premier Dalton McGuinty said shortly after the bill passed its third reading. "The arbitrator will move quickly and work with parties in the best possible way and students are going back to the classroom."
Of course this did upset those who were protesting, but I think with all the damage they've caused, they ought to just step off their high horses and take their pay for what it is. Especially in this time of economic crisis.
This isn't all fun and games for students though, yes they get the semester that they payed for, but they also have to cram, cram and cram some more.
For some students, the strike has already done some significant damage to their year.
Reading week has been cancelled, the winter semester is being compressed and the school year is expected to be extended past April.
Many students who depend on the Ontario Student Assistant Program will have to apply for additional loans to pay for extended accomodations. The Liberals have said those loans will be made available to students.
Here's some comments I liked on this story:
Michelle
I hope Ontario remembers next election just who did and did not work to get strikers back to work to protect third parties from damages at both York and in the ATU strike in Ottawa. The NDP clearly are willing to throw third party victims under the proverbial wheels of the bus in order to give unions the upperhand in so called "fair" negotiations.
I have voted NDP a few times in my life but never, ever again. I will not forget.
Pete
I understand the process of collective bargaining, but I find it disgusting that in this day of economic crisis, that unions hold companies (or in this case students) to ransome. These people need to get a grip on reality and understand that there can be no such thing as job security anymore. They should consider themselves lucky to even have a job. I remember back in the 80's when Ronald Reagan fired striking air trafic controllers, and replaced them with people who DID want to work. A similar thing should happen when unions try such bullying approach, and never mind collective bargaining. Once a contract has ended, and employer can then replace with whoever they feel can do a better job.
Lois from Ontario
I have a son who is a TA at a different university and NDP, and a son who is a student at York. To my total surprise my TA son does not support the actions of the union. He said for the current TA's to ask for job security is to deprive future graduating students of the opportunity to work while they too study for their MA's and PHD's. From my point of view 50,000 people have suffered over union selfishness and the mentality that the best interests of current members supercede all other considerations and the rights of anyone else involved. And these are supposed to be educated people? Shame on all of them.
Keith in Brampton
McGuinty is right about one thing - the students HAVE been remarkably patient.
Back when I attended university, WE would have been actively picketing both sides from the start and - by this point - would probably have had more than a few violent encounters. trashed cars, even burned buildings.
I'm not one to condone violence, but frankly I think the students were WAAAY too passive. Even now, I think they should blockade the university until they have cheques in hand refunding 100% of their tuition, plus a free year's education.
Source: CTV
