Canadore President George Burton called an impending faculty strike at the college, "unnecessary" in a news release Sunday night.
"We appreciate that students are frustrated that OPSEU CAAT Academic called this strike," said Burton. "The colleges' final offer is responsive to what we have heard at the bargaining table and fair to our faculty."
Burton says that it is regrettable that the union chose not to take the colleges' final offer to its members for a vote.
About 12,000 faculty will be on the picket line Monday morning after talks between OPSEU and the College Employer Council failed to produce a tentative collective agreement.
There are presently 108 full-time faculty members employed at Canadore and another hundred or so that are only getting part-time work.
See: Canadore profs could strike Monday
“On October 14, we presented Council with a streamlined offer that represented what faculty considers to be the bare minimum we need to ensure quality education for students and treat contract faculty fairly,” said JP Hornick, chair of the union bargaining team. “We carefully crafted a proposal that responded to Council’s concerns about costs in a fair and reasonable way.
To view the union’s most recent offer visit www.collegefaculty.org.
Full details o the colleges' final offer can be found at https://thecouncil.on.ca/.
Meanwhile the College Student Alliance has some tips for students affected by the strike.
KEEP CALM & KEEP STUDYING
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Though colleges will cancel classes if a strike occurs, negotiating parties (the Ontario Public Service Employees Union and the College Employers Council can reach a deal at any moment, so don’t fall behind on class work.
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Use your class syllabus, materials posted online by your professor, and textbooks to stay up-to-date with your academics.
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Students have never lost a semester due to a faculty strike, so don't panic!
STAY INFORMED
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Follow your student association and CSA on Facebook and Twitter to stay informed on the current situation
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Check email and notices from your college about updates from the bargaining table.
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Read the news to get an idea of what is currently happening and what to expect next.
GET INVOLVED
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Have courteous and respectful conversations with picketers.
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Encourage administrators and picketing faculty to find a way to get a deal done.
