Haliburton's Fleming College campus is still open to students though classes have been suspended since Oct. 16. /File photo By Sue Tiffin
Published Nov. 17 2017
Ontario’s longest college strike iscoming to an end.
Eighty-seven per cent of strikingfaculty rejected the latest college offer on Nov. 16 prompting theOntario government to table back-to-work legislation in an effort toget faculty and students back into the classroom after five weeks ofstrike.
More than 12000 faculty and 500000students have been affected by the strike which began Oct. 16.OPSEU representing staff at 24 public colleges in Ontario and theCollege Employer Council which bargains on behalf of the province’scolleges have been unable to reach an agreement on key issues thatinclude protecting full-time jobs outsourcing salaries jobsecurity and academic freedom.
A class-action lawsuit has begun onbehalf of students looking for tuition and fee refunds.
Colleges are taking differentapproaches to ensuring students don’t lose their semester withsome extending the semester and offering longer schedules onlinecomponents and Saturday classes.
Students at Fleming College inHaliburton can access updates atflemingcollege.ca/faculty-labour-negotiations or by calling705-749-5550.
