Province to legislate striking teachers back to work

The Ontario government is tabling back-to-work legislation to cease a five-week long strike by college faculty.

Premiere Kathleen Wynne announced Thursday night that she’d be tabling legislation to get faculty back in the classroom.

The Progressive Conservative party stated that it’s in favour of the legislation, while the NDPs are against it.

NDP Leader Andrea Horthwath issued statement Thursday stating that the “mess” is result of the Liberal government not properly funding post-secondary education for years.

About 12,000 faculty members from Ontario’s 24 community colleges have been on strike since Oct. 16. They include teachers, librarians, counsellors and instructors.

Wynne’s decision came after 86 per cent of faculty members voted against their employer’s offer. That news came out Thursday morning, after faculty had roughly 48 hours to cast an electronic vote.

The premiere met with the Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU) – representing faculty – and the College Employer Council (CEC) – which bargains on behalf of the colleges – before they returned to the table Thursday. She gave them until 5 p.m. to reach a deal or agree to binding arbitration.

But OSPEU and CEC didn’t do either.

Wynne’s legislation is asking that all outstanding issues be referred to a binding mediation-arbitration.

Fleming College faculty are represented by OPSEU Local 352. There are more than 350 fulltime and partial load faculty across Fleming’s three campuses.

Liz Mathewson, president of Local 352, said the union had three main issues: greater academic control over courses, more stability for partial load faculty and an even ratio of full-time to contract faculty.

When the two parties returned to the table on Nov. 2, academic control was the only item left to negotiate, according to Mathewson. The two parties have been in negotiations since July.

But now, the CEC is saying OPSEU came back to the table Thursday with a new demand. It’s asking for a return-to-work signing bonus of $5,000 per faculty member. Sonia Del Missier, chairwoman of the college’s bargaining team, released that information Thursday night, too.

And the funding is expected to come from the student hardship fund, Del Missier stated.

Last week, the Ontario government ordered the province’s colleges to create the fund to help students who may be experiencing financial hardship because of the strike.

About 500,000 students have been affected by the strike, left in limbo while the end of their semester draws near.

A group of Fanshawe College students spearheaded a classaction lawsuit against the colleges Tuesday. They’re fed up with paying tuition for an education they’re not getting. The students are seeking damages for breach of contract and breach of the Ontario Consumer Protection Act.

Joel Willett, president of the College Student Alliance (CSA), said the lawsuit indicates students’ level of frustration.

“We’re now into day 32 of the strike with very little inclination as to when it’s going to end,” said Willett.

The CSA advocates on behalf of Ontario college students in partnership with student leaders.

Students’ mental health has become a growing concern with each day they’re out of the classroom, Willett said. And they can’t get the counselling they need, because counsellors aren’t available.

“We want to ensure that students can get the services they paid for with their tuition,” said Willett.

Meanwhile, Mathewson wasn’t surprised by the outcome of Thursday’s vote. Faculty were forced to vote by the Ontario Labour Relations Board, when they stepped in last week. Ninety-four per cent of faculty voted.

Faculty’s response reaffirms they’re standing behind quality education and the best outcome for the students, Mathewson said.

This the longest college faculty strike in Ontario’s history. They were out for about three weeks during a strike in 2006.

At the end of the day, Mathewson said it will be worth it.

“It’s going to change how the college system operates moving forward. It’s just going to strengthen it for students. It’s just going to improve outcomes and prepare students better for a workforce in Ontario,” she said.

In the meantime, contingency plans are in place for students, according to Tony Tilly, president of Fleming. So far, the semester has been extended. Students were to start their Christmas break on Dec. 15, but it’s been pushed back to Dec. 22.

– With files from Postmedia Network JNyznik@postmedia.com