FRONT PAGE NEWS HISTORY
CSA makes regular announcements and updated on their main page for public and member information. Here you will find the history of posts that were contained on our front page.
September || October || November || December
January || February || March
Welcome to the New Site!
August 21, 2009- We’ve made changes! Welcome to our new(er), friendlier web site. We’re still tweaking some of our pages and more information and documents are being added daily. But we couldn’t wait for you to see it…so, browse around and lets us know what you think by taking the poll! Visit often over the next few weeks as we finalize our changes and add information. Our intent is to make this your go to site for all things concerning postsecondary educational issues. Members have the added benefit of accessing vital information and tools through our members only intranet portal.
College Students Don’t Want a Province-wide Faculty Strike
August 31, 2009 – Press Release click here to go to press page
September
Faculty Negotiations Recessed Until October
September 1, 2009 – Today, the conciliator as appointed by the Ministry of Labour, Mr. Greg Long, recessed talks between the Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU) and the college’s bargaining agent, the College Compensation and Appointments Council (the Council). The parties appear to be too far apart to reach a new collective agreement, so a recess has been put in place until October when talks will resume. Although the full-time faculty collective agreement expired on Monday, August 31st, all terms and conditions will remain for the time being.
“The College Student Alliance (CSA) is encouraging both parties to use this recess to reflect on their current offer and think about what is ultimately in the best interest of students,” says Justin Fox, President of the College Student Alliance.
For more information, please do not hesitate to contact the CSA and/or visit OPSEU’s or the Council’s website.
The Ontario Labour Relations Board Calls a Vote
September 4, 2009 – The Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU) has filed an application with the Ontario Labour Relations Board (OLRB) to represent the part-time support staff workers, includes students, at Ontario’s 24 colleges. The OLRB has called for a representation vote to start on October 5th, 2009.
Voting arrangements will be detailed on the “Notice of Vote” and eligible voters will be able to vote at any location. Once the dates and campus locations have been determined, the CSA will post them here.
If you are working part-time on-campus or planning to apply for an on-campus job this year and have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the CSA or your local Student Association.
OLRB Releases TENTATIVE Dates
September 8, 2009 - The Ontario Labour Relations Board (OLRB) has released TENTATIVE dates for the province-wide representation vote for part-time college support staff. The voting will begin on Monday, October 5th and go until Tuesday, October 27th.
Click here for the dates listed by college; or
Click here for listing by date.
Locations, Dates and Times Determined for PT Support Staff Vote
September 22, 2009- The Ontario Labour Relations Board (OLRB) has announced the exact locations, dates and times for the province-wide representation vote for Ontario college part-time support staff workers, which includes students. If you are a student currently working part-time on-campus or in the process of applying for an on-campus job, please make sure that you are aware of the date, time and location of the vote taking place at your campus.
Click here for a listing of the dates, times and locations.
Off-Campus Code of Conduct Debates Continue
September 22, 2009 – Many city councils, local police services and permanent residences across the province have been putting pressure on colleges and universities to implement an off-campus code of conduct, which would address any misconduct of students living in the areas surrounding the campuses. Most recently, a city councilor in Oshawa brought forward a motion practically demanding Durham College, the University of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT) and Trent in Oshawa to implement such a conduct.
The College Student Alliance (CSA) and its members do not support such positions and measures for controlling off-campus behaviors. Specific codes of conducts related to off-campus behaviors would change the relationship between student and institution; to one of child and parent. Students’ off-campus activities and lives must remain separate from their academic pursuits; if any member of the community, student or otherwise, breaks the law or a bylaw then the appropriate legal consequences must apply.
Ontario municipalities need to start looking at college and university students as members of the community and not as ghettoizing troublemakers. Instead of demanding off-campus code of conducts, City Councils should be looking into other measures and means that help students feel apart of the community and engaged in their civic responsibilities.
The Fanshawe Student Union (FSU) in London has created an awareness campaign called EVICTION to help inform and educate their students living off-campus of their responsibilities.
This weekend in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, our membership will be discussing more student-friendly ways to incorporate students into their local communities and what current best practices are out there.
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October
CSA Helping Students Make an Informed and Educated Decision
October 1st, 2009 – The CSA has produced an informational brochure to assist students with their decision on whether or not to be part of a union. Your Choice; Your Right, provides students with information and questions they need to know before they cast their ballot in the representation vote; starting on October 5th.
Voting will be taking place across the province until October 27th. Make sure you confirm the date and time the Ontario Labour Relations Board will be on your campus or a near by college campus.
CSA releases report on Quality Management in Ontario’s Colleges
October 7th, 2009 - The College Student Alliance (CSA) has released its first ever peer-reviewed research paper, and likely one of the first Canadian student organisation papers to be reviewed in such depth. Roadmap to Excellence: Understanding Quality through Learning and Continual Improvement, defines quality and proposes how quality could be measured. The paper also examines the distinction between quality assurance and quality control, and how this distinction is very important in achieving program- and institution-level quality.
Roadmap to Excellence also speaks to the importance of all Ontario colleges becoming learning-centred. The CSA feels that any pursuit of quality must satisfy the three components of college mandate and must be committed to creating learners capable of becoming independent, lifelong learners. To satisfy this pursuit, a quality management system must be in place that is focused on fulfilling mandate and achieving excellence through learning and continual improvement.
To read the full report, click here.
McGuinty Government Re-invests in over prescribed Second Career program
October 14th, 2009 - On October 13, 2009, Premier Dalton McGuinty and the Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities, the Hon. John Milloy, announced that the government would be investing an additional $78 million to help keep up with the demand of the Second Career program.
Announced in the 2008 Ontario Budget, Second Career, was created to assist laid-off workers transfer their skills to in-demand fields. After 16 months, the program has already assisted over 21,000 laid-off workers, which surpasses the government’s initial commitment of 20,000 over a three year period.
“The CSA applauds the government’s further commitment to assisting those who have been hardest hit during these tough economic times,” says Justin Fox, President of the College Student Alliance.
For more information on Second Career, click here.
To apply an Ontario College, click here.
StatsCan Tuition Study Underscores Need for Increased federal Investment in PSE
October 20th, 2009 - Toronto, ON – This morning’s release of the Tuition and Living Accommodation Costs study by Statistics Canada clearly demonstrates the need for an increased investment by the federal government, says the College Student Alliance (CSA).
“College and university students, in all provinces across the country, have had to bear a larger and larger share of the cost of education and training over the last decade,” says Justin Fox, President of the College Student Alliance. “Given the recent economic challenges facing many students and their families; it is getting harder to find the resources to access and persist with postsecondary education.”
Federal budget cuts in the early nineties substantially reduced transfers to the provinces for postsecondary education, resulting in a postsecondary education funding gap of nearly $4 billion across Canada. This funding gap has led to increasingly high tuition fees, over the past fifteen years.
The College Student Alliance, the New Brunswick Student Alliance, the Alliance of Nova Scotia Student Associations, the Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance, the Canadian Alliance of Student Associations, the Council of Alberta University Students, and the Alberta Student Executive Council, together representing over 600,000 students across the country, are asking the federal government to increase the federal funding for postsecondary education to $4 billion per year.
To ensure the effectiveness of this transfer, the federal government must work with the provinces in order to maintain their own postsecondary education spending upon receipt of this additional federal funding.
“Students are calling on all levels of government to recognize the importance of postsecondary education and training to our economic recovery and make the appropriate investments,” adds Fox.
Click here, to view full report from StatsCan.
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For more information or a quote, click here.
CSA Presents to the House of Commons Standing Committee on Finance
October 21, 2009 – On Wednesday, October 21, the College Student Alliance presented its top three federal recommendations to the House of Commons Standing Committee on Finance. Canada Rebranded: Stronger Investments for Greater Returns recommends that:
- The Government of Canada in partnership with the provinces and territories must develop a national education and training strategy;
- To assist in alleviating the increasing burden of debt that learners are assuming, the Canada Student Loans Program loan repayment policy should be changed to encompass interest relief and debt reduction components; and
- The Government of Canada should establish a separate reserach envelope for colleges to expand their applied research, commericalization and innovation capabilities.
During the hearings, the CSA focused its remarks on the need for Canada to develop a national education and training strategy. The Standing Committee was in Toronto during their 2009 Pre-budget consutlations.
To read the full remarks from the CSA, click here.
StatsCan Report Ignores College Students
October 21, 2009 - With dismay, we note that once again “postsecondary education” seems to mean exclusively “university education”.
The Statistics Canada report on full-time tuition fees completely ignores the 600,000 college students across this country, including the 200,000 full time students attending Ontario’s 24 public colleges.
The funding gap is much larger than this report suggests. College students, like university students, have had to bear a larger and larger share of the cost of education and training over the past fifteen years.
Federal budget cuts in the early nineties substantially reduced transfers to the provinces for postsecondary education, resulting in a funding gap of nearly $4 billion across Canada. This has led to increasingly high tuition fees for everyone.
Colleges provide the Ontario workforce with more than 60,000 graduates per year. This is a huge benefit to the economy, so the financial hardships facing these students along the path to graduation must not be ignored.
Justin Fox, President, College Student Alliance.
Reporter Stephanie Meleady Interviews Tyler Charlebois
October 26, 2009 – On October 22, 2009 Stephanie Meleady of 91X Radio asks the questions students want to hear about from Tyler Charlebois our Director of Advocacy. Click here to here the audio of this interview. Questions such as why tuition is increasing, has the increase in fees affected enrollement and have the increase in OSAP and loan usage become more difficult to repay after graduation. Listen here to to see what the real story is around postsecondary education.
November
Collective Bargaining Continues in Hopes to Avoid a Strike
November 9, 2009 – After a month long “recess” both the College Compensation and Appoinments Council (the Council) and the Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU) bargaining teams were back at the table in October and last week in an effort to reach a new collective agreement for all full-time faculty at Ontario’s 24 colleges. Despite changes from both sides on the finanical demands/offer; no new agreement has been reached, to date.
The Colleges, through the Council, have increased their salary offer and are now proposing a settlement of 1.5%, 1.5%, 2% and 2% in a four-year deal. The new maximum salary would be $103,464 as of September 1, 2012. OPSEU reduced its salary proposal to 4% per year of a two-year deal, but maintained its proposal for a new step in each of the two years. OPSEU’s proposal would bring the maximum salary up to $109,915 before 2012.
Hopefully, both sides will find a way to continue to bargain and reach a new collective agreement before the New Year.
To view the perspective from the Union, click OPSEU
To view the Colleges’ perspective, click the Council.
Click here to view, Your Choice Your Right Brochure.
CSA Grows Stronger
November 11, 2009 - The Student’s Administrative Council (SAC) of Georgian College – Barrie Campus have voted unanimously to join the College Student Alliance (CSA) and our ever-growing membership of over 120,000 college and college/university students. With the addition of Barrie campus, the CSA now represents students at 16 Colleges and 24 member councils across the province of Ontario. The CSA continues to strive towards our mission of Strong Students: Strong Leadership: Strong Colleges.
“With the recent growth of our membership, the CSA continues to further their commitment to represent all College students throughout the Province. The CSA is ecstatic to see Barrie has found in us, the resources to truly represent their students best interests ,” Justin Fox, President of the College Student Alliance.
“I have researched the available organizations able to represent our Council and students effectively and professionally, all roads led to CSA; they have opened my eyes to the fact that student government isn’t about ‘holding on’ to a position; it’s about owning it,” Antonio Fanioudakis, President of the Students’ Administrative Council, Georgian College, Barrie Campus.
“On behalf of the Central Region we are pleased and excited to welcome Georgian Barrie to our circle to bring them in and share new ideas with them. We are looking forward to seeing them all at February conference.” Baldeep Randhawa, Central Regional Director of the College Student Alliance.
Talks Break Down between Colleges and OPSEU
November 12, 3009 - This afternoon after five months and 29 days of bargaining between the College Compensation and Appointments Council (the Council) and the Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU) talks have broken down. Given the current situation, the bargaining team for the colleges have decided to utilize a new provision in the Colleges Collective Bargaining Act(CCBA), 2008 to introduce a new contract if talk have broken down.
As of November 18, 2009, full-time faculty will have a new collective agreement that provides them with approximately eight percent (1.75%, 1.75%, 2% and 2%) over four years; retroactive to September 1, 2009 as well as several other improvements to teaching and learning.
Dr. Rachael Donovan, chair of the colleges bargaining team says, “this contract is consistent with recent compensation settlements in the public sector. There is no reason to make our faculty wait longer for the increases we are able to provide.”
There has been no word from OPSEU as to their next steps, but as new information comes availabe, the CSA will keep you informed and up-to-date.
The CSA provides Ministry with Recommendations for Long-term PSE Strategy
November 16, 2009 - In response to the end of Reaching Higher, the McGuinty government’s five-year investment and commitment to postsecondary education (PSE), the CSA has provided the Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities and the PSE Secretariat with Strength & Prosperity: The Social and Economic Advantage of Access to Applied Learning.
Strength & Prosperity, makes recommendations that if incorporated into a long-term strategy for the province of Ontario, would see the development of a stronger postsecondary education system, better educated and equipped citizens and long-term sustainable economic growth.
To learn more about the recommendations contained within the submission, click here.
FYI - Talks Resume!
November 26, 2009 – The College Compensation & Appointments Council (the Council) and the Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU) will be going back to the bargaining table on Monday, November 30th. Talks between the two sides broke off on November 12th. The revised terms and conditions implemented by Colleges on Wednesday, November 18th will remain in effect until a new collective agreement can be reached.
Also, both sides will be meeting with the Ministry of Labour (MoL) on Tuesday, December 1st to establish a day for OPSEU to hold their strike vote.
December
OPSEU Receives Date for Province-wide Strike Vote
December 2, 2009 – On December 1st, the Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU) and the College Compensation and Appointments Council (the Council) met with the Ministry of Labour and the Ontario Labour Relations Board (ORLB) to establish a date for OPSEU to hold a strike vote. It was decided that OPSEU will go to its membership on January 13, 2010; just two days after winter semester classes begin.
Although, OPSEU has receive a date for a province-wide strike vote, both parties will continue to meet in December in the hopes of reaching an agreed upon agreement.
Bargaining Teams Back at the Table
December 13, 2009 – Both bargaining teams for the Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU) and the College Compensation & Appointments Council (the Council) will be back at the bargaining table on December 14th and 15th.
CSA Delivers Key Budget Recommendations to Ontario Government
December 14, 2009 – In its 2010 Pre-Budget submission, Unlocking Ontario’s Potential: Applied Learning Central to Economic Growth, the CSA has re-affirmed the importance of investments in Ontario’s colleges and its students; even in the face of a growing provincial deficit.
Unlocking Ontario’s Potential focuses on two main themes, Operating Funding and Afforability of Education. Under the two themes are three recommendations:
- That the provincial government MUST further strengthen per-student funding with the goal of achieving the national per-student funding median by 2015-16;
- That the provincial government MUST continue to regulate college tuition fees by capping tuition rate increases at the rate of inflation and introducing an annual cap on international student tuition fee increases; and
- That the provincial government absolutely MUST revise the Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP) while also promoting additional sources of grants and loans for students.
To read a copy of the entire submission and the rational behind these recommendations, click here.
CSA Delivers Key Budget Recommendations to Ontario Government
December 14, 2009 – In its 2010 Pre-Budget submission, Unlocking Ontario’s Potential: Applied Learning Central to Economic Growth, the CSA has re-affirmed the importance of investments in Ontario’s colleges and its students; even in the face of a growing provincial deficit.
Unlocking Ontario’s Potential focuses on two main themes, Operating Funding and Afforability of Education. Under the two themes are three recommendations:
- That the provincial government MUST further strengthen per-student funding with the goal of achieving the national per-student funding median by 2015-16;
- That the provincial government MUST continue to regulate college tuition fees by capping tuition rate increases at the rate of inflation and introducing an annual cap on international student tuition fee increases; and
- That the provincial government absolutely MUST revise the Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP) while also promoting additional sources of grants and loans for students.
To read a copy of the entire submission and the rational behind these recommendations, click here.
College students are NOT bargaining chips
December 15th, 2009—As talks between the Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU) and the College Compensation & Appointments Council (the Council) continue this week, Ontario’s college students are taking a stand, says the College Student Alliance (CSA). Students are telling both sides that, “Students are NOT bargaining chips!”
“Students are concerned with the fact that, yet again, there is a threat of a province-wide faculty strike looming over their education,” says Justin Fox, President of the College Student Alliance. “Students do not want a repeat of the 21 day strike of 2006, which nearly cost many their semester and graduation.”
OPSEU and the Council began collectively bargaining back in early June of this year. After some six and a half months, including an imposed month-long recess, both sides managed to not reach agreement on a new collective agreement. Although on November 18th the Council imposed a set of new terms and conditions, which were applied retroactively to September 1st.
“Given the current state of the economy and the demand for college and skilled trades training; it is our hope that both sides will find a way to reach a new collective agreement before the end of the year,” adds Fox. “But with OPSEU’s strike vote scheduled for Wednesday, January 13th, 2010 that looks unlikely.”
In an effort to speak directly to college presidents and members of the academic bargaining unit, the CSA and its member councils have distributed postcard letters expressing the concerns felt by students over the lack of a new collective agreement and the potential of another province-wide strike.
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For more information, contact us.
Still NO Collective Agreement
December 16th, 2009 – After two back-to-back days at the bargaining table, OPSEU and the Council were not able to reach a new collective agreement for Ontario’s full-time academic staff. Due to the apparent lack of progressive, OPSEU has said they now have no other choice but to step up their plans for a strike vote on January 13th.
No new dates have been set for bargaining.
January
Students Serving Students for Stronger Colleges
January 8th, 2010 –Are you ready and willing? Starting Monday, January 11th member campuses of the College Student Alliance (CSA) will be reaching out to their students in an effort to increase the awareness amongst students of the work being done on their behalf by their Student Association. “CSA touched me…(and I liked it)” is the 2nd Annual Student Association (SA) Awareness Week.
“SA Awareness was created to promote, educate and engage our students in the work that we do on their behalf on a daily,” says Justin Fox, President of the College Student Alliance. “This type of campaign provides an excellent opportunity for us to get out and speak directly one-on-one with our students. We can hear firsthand what is on their mind and what concerns them the most.”
Student Associations/Unions have been working for their students’ on-campus and off-campus, provincially and federally since the colleges first opened in the late 60’s. Today’s ever-changing economy and demographic has created the need for SA’s to become more adaptable, flexible and highly inclusive. SA’s now represent a very diverse student population. The services and events offered by today’s SA’s are drastically different than those offered in the past.
“We strongly believe that there are many students walking our halls that truly just don’t understand what we do for them,” adds Fox. “So this is an excellent opening for them and us to learn and also give a student a chance to win $200 in cold hard cash.”
The “CSA touched me…(and I liked it)” campaign also provides the Student Associations/Unions with the opportunity to let their students know what they are doing on their behalf at the provincial and federal level through the CSA. Let them know that their SA is apart of a bigger network of SA’s working to bring about positive change to better their education and experience. Through the CSA, their voices are united with over 120,000 full-time college and college-university students to present a powerful voice to the provincial and federal government on issues ranging from tuition fees and OSAP to the accessibility, quality and transferability of their education.
To find out more about the College Student Alliance and SA Awareness Week by visiting, www.collegestudentalliance.ca.
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Students say NO to a strike
January 8th, 2010 – Toronto, ON—With the threat of yet another province-wide academic strike looming over Ontario’s college and college-university students, students are asking college presidents, full-time faculty, counselors, librarians and partial load teachers to take a step back and reflect on what another strike would mean for students, our colleges and the economy, says the College Student Alliance (CSA).
“Students do not support, nor are they in favour of, another academic strike,” says Justin Fox, President of the College Student Alliance. “Students want both sides to get back to the table and reach a new collective agreement without a labour disruption that could cost Ontario college students’ their semester or graduation.”
With the full-time academic staff voting on whether or not to give the Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU) a strike mandate next Wednesday, January 13th and no sign that both sides are closer to a collective agreement, students, their parents and families are growing concerned that things are headed for a strike. An academic strike has only happened three times in the history of the college system; in 1984, 1989 and again in 2006.
“We are hoping that whatever the result of the strike vote, both sides will go back to the bargaining table and stay there until a new agreement is reached,” adds Fox. “Too much is hanging in the balance for both sides not to continue to talk.”
Given the current state of the economy, the growing need for higher education and training and all of the labour unrest of the last year the last thing students and Ontario needs is another strike. The colleges and their staff should be focused on educating and training the over half a million full- and part-time students.
“Both sides need to keep students uppermost in their negotiations going forward,” says Tyler Charlebois, Director of Advocacy. “After all isn’t that why we are all here, for the students.”
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JANUARY 11TH-15TH — BE READY AND WILLING!!!
January 11th, 2010 – Here’s a chance for all CSA Member STUDENT Associations to engage with their STUDENT bodies; a chance to make individual STUDENTS aware of the variety of services provided by their SA, including the advocacy work done on their behalf to the government through their membership in CSA. Oh yeah, and in the process, offering one lucky STUDENT a chance to walk away with $200 cold hard cash!
CSA touched me refers to the “dialogue” intended to happen between SA board members and STUDENTS on campus—essentially, the way SA representatives help STUDENTSunderstand that they are working diligently on their behalf to not only provide social and entertainment events but also in the more serious issues affecting postsecondary education—tuition, cost of education, funding, accessibility, quality and transferability. All or some of these issues will affect or touch STUDENTS in some manner during their college program(s), and CSA and its members will continue to work to make sure STUDENT’S rights are at the forefront of each of them!
Hey STUDENTS – It’s ALL about YOU!!
CSA Launches Strike Specific Website
January 11th, 2010 – With the possibility of a province-wide academic strike looming over our colleges, the CSA has launched a new site specific to the potential strike, www.collegestrike.ca. This site features up-to-date information on bargaining, FAQs, a comparison of the offer vs proposal, contact information on key people as well as a twitter feed (@strikemylife) that allow students to tweet their feelings, frustrations, concerns and have them posted on the site.
Students Still Fear a Province-wide Academic Strike
January 14th, 2010 – Toronto, ON—Ontario’s college and college-university students are demanding that both bargaining teams of the college’s academic staff and management go back to the bargaining table following yesterday’s province-wide strike vote, says the College Student Alliance (CSA).
“Students are seriously worried that in the near future they will be pulled out of their learning environments and faced with the academic staff walking a picket line,” says Justin Fox, President of the College Student Alliance. “Both sides need to remember that college students as well as the taxpayers are footing the bill and as such a greater emphasis must be placed on reaching a negotiated settlement.”
Yesterday in a province-wide strike vote, 57.03 per cent of Ontario’s full-time academic staff voted in favour of giving their union, the Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU), a strike mandate and the ability to pull them off the job if negotiations don’t progress in their favour. Compared to the last round of bargaining’s strike vote, which yielded a voter turnout of 65.5 per cent with 80.4 percent voting in favour of a strike.
“The goal now must be for both sides to go back to the bargaining table and stay there until a new collective agreement is reached without a work stoppage,” adds Fox.
In anticipation of the results, concerned students and parents took to www.collegestrike.ca to vent their concerns, frustrations and fears of a potential province-wide strike. Collegestrike.ca was designed to give students and all concerned up-to-date information, the straight facts and a place for them to express themselves.
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The College Student Alliance (CSA) is an advocacy and services organization, which has been proudly serving Ontario’s college and college-university students since 1975. The CSA currently represents 17 colleges and 25 student councils with over 125,000 full-time student members throughout the province.
Please note these are the unofficial results, and questions can be directed to Tyler Charlebois.
February
February 2nd, 2010
Just reminder that as new updates becoming available regarding the faculty bargaining negotiations please check out our www.collegestrike.ca for the most current information; if you have a media request please contact Tyler Charlebois.
Students Unite to End Current Academic Labour Unrest
Strong Academics + Strong Colleges = Strong(er) Students
February 9th, 2010 - Toronto, ON—College students from across the province are uniting to deliver a simple equation to both the colleges and the over 10,000 full-time academic staff, “Strong Academics + Strong Colleges = Strong(er) Students”. The College Student Alliance (CSA) and its members are launching the Strong(er) Campaign today to remind the colleges and the faculty of their shared role in creating strong students and graduates.
“With faculty set to vote on the college’s ‘final’ offer this week and the very real threat of a province-wide academic strike looming over the college system, students are concerned as their education hangs in the balance,” says Justin Fox, President of the College Student Alliance.
The Strong(er) Campaign was designed to remind everyone why colleges exist, it’s the students. If there were no students then there would be no need for Ontario’s 24 colleges and their campuses in over 100 different communities. Along with wearing the ‘Strong(er)’ bracelets students will be sharing their personal worries, frustrations and explaining how a strike would impact them. All of the stories and video pleas will be uploaded to our central strike information website, www.collegestrike.ca.
“Students are frustrated, angry and panicked as the colleges and the union have not been able to resolve their issues in eight months of bargaining,” adds Fox.
The CSA and students are urging all full-time and partial load professors, librarians and counselors to review the final offer being proposed; think about where the right place for their students is; and vote on Wednesday, February 10th. The result is too important for everyone concerned. All academic staff must go out and exercise their vote.
“It is time that our colleges get back to focusing on providing relevant and timely education and training to ensure that Ontario and Ontarians are able to recover from the recent recession rather than facing a potential province-wide strike,” adds Tyler Charlebois, Director of Advocacy.
For more information on the potential strike and its impacts on students, visit www.collegestrike.ca.
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The College Student Alliance (CSA) is an advocacy and leadership organization, which has been proudly serving Ontario’s college and college-university students since 1975. The CSA currently represents 17 colleges and 25 member councils with over 127,000 full-time student members throughout the province.
Unofficial Results of Final Offer Vote
February 11th, 2010 – Yesterday, 77.28% of the full-time academic staff cast their ballot on the colleges’ final offer. With a narrow majority, faculty have voted 51.25% to accept the offer and 48.74% to reject. Because of the such a narrow margin and some mail-in ballots left to be counted the Ontario Labour Relations Board (OLRB) will have to release the official results, which will take approximately 10 days.
Until the official results are released everything remains the same.
For a college-by-college breakdown of the vote as well as other updates related to the current academic bargaining, visit www.collegestrike.ca.
