To all sides in college strike: Solve this now

Please invest in education, says student Tyler Horvath

To the premier of Ontario, the College Employer Council, the Ontario Public Service Employees Union and the prime minister:

My name is Tyler Horvath. I am enrolled at Algonquin College in the computer science and engineering program. It’s been almost three weeks since I had a class. Three weeks since I’ve spoken to any of my professors or classmates. Three weeks of agonizing wait while the Ontario college faculty have been on strike, and I would like to know why.

Why, in 2017, is this massive disruption to the education of 500,000 students being allowed to occur? Why aren’t the appropriate investments being made not only in education programs for Ontarians but for the professors teaching them? Why does every side in this conflict claim to be operating with the best interest of the students while ultimately keeping us from being in the classroom? The one place we need and want to be. The place we all paid to be.

As I understand it, one of the reasons for this strike is college faculty feeling as if they are underpaid. How can quality education be delivered if the professors and instructors aren’t properly paid? Are we to assume that the faculty is simply there because of a passion for teaching? I believe education is an investment by society in the future. So that the bright young minds of today will have the knowledge and skills required to be able to work together to solve the crises of tomorrow, the problems and trials of the 21st century.

However, it seems to me, as we enter the third week of the strike, that the Ontario government disagrees with my ideas on education. The fact that we see colleges hiring short-term, seasonal contract teachers is evidence of that.

Is this truly the way the colleges should be operating? Paying so little to the instructors responsible for delivering the knowledge we need? Should our society not come together to make this investment in the future? To help hundreds of thousands of people obtain the knowledge to better themselves and ultimately society? Or shall we just continue with how we’ve been operating? Where the cost of quality education is simply not worth investing in. If that’s the case, then I believe it is time for action.

Premier Wynne, now that the College Employer Council and the Ontario Public Service Union have agreed to return to the negotiation table, please help ensure a fair, reasonable deal is achieved for all, including students. Remembering how far apart the sides were when the strike started casts doubt on whether an agreement can be reached.

If this round of talks fails, assign an arbitrator willing to use binding arbitration to end this strike, so the 500,000 students affected can continue our commitment to better ourselves and the society we live in.

Once this nightmare is ended, I would ask one more thing: Come together at Queen’s Park to ensure the education of Ontarians is never negatively impacted by another strike.

Make the required investments to help thousands of Ontarians attend school. Make the required investments so our professors can be paid enough to reflect the value of their services. Make the required investments in the future of Ontario.

It will only be with actions that end the current strike and prevent all future ones that I will believe anyone is acting with the best interests of students in mind. Until then, I’m afraid your words ring hollow, and the problems in our education system may never truly be solved. The 500,000 students who are enrolled in Ontario colleges are making a commitment to better themselves, to become contributing members of society, to build a better future.

My last question, then, is: Will you help?

Why, in 2017, is this massive disruption of our education being allowed to occur?