JORDAN MAXWELL
NEWS REPORTER
Humber students could face a strike by full-time faculty, said the chair of Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU).
Negotiations between the faculty union and college management broke down Nov. 12.
OPSEU chair Ted Montgomery said a strike vote would take place sometime in December. He said it’s 80 per cent likely there will be a strike.
“They think that they are offering a good deal, but they aren’t offering anything outlined in the Workload Task Force Report,” said Montgomery.
The Workload Task Force Report is a series of guidelines that establishes an appropriate workload for teachers while outlining the suitable evaluation and consultation time needed to efficiently teach students.
The Colleges Appointment and Compensations Council (CACL) offered the union an eight per cent increase in salary over four years – 1.75 per cent in each of the first two years and two per cent in each of the last two years – and improvements to their workload, however the union feels the proposed contract is ineffective.
CACL said the new contract is more than fair and to submit to the union’s requests would be nothing short of extravagant spending at a time of economic uncertainty.
Orville Getz is the president of OPSEU local 562, which represents Humber’s teachers, counsellors and librarians.
“They are offering us no benefits. medical, dental, eyewear, mental and physiotherapy – nothing,” said Getz.
He said demands on teachers in a polytechnic environment are increasing, where the number of students is straining teachers and restricts one-on-one time with students.
Getz also said teachers want to be compensated somewhere in between the salary of a high school teacher and that of a university teacher.
Both the TDSB and Ontario university teachers get annual increases of over three per cent, he said. The TDSB and university teachers’ settlment was reached before the economy was in its current position, said Nancy Hood vice-chair of the management bargaining team.
“In this economic climate, what they are asking for is just unaffordable,” said Sally Ritchie, senior communications officer of Colleges Ontario.
Money seems to be the prevalent issue but according to Montgomery, it’s just a superficial reason.
“It’s not about wages, it’s about respect,” he said. “We want to be able to make collegial decisions like the universities.”
Getz said as of Nov. 18 Humber is working under imposed conditions, including a 1.75 per cent pay increase.
“That’s going to put about ten bucks in my pocket. Whoopee,” said Getz.
Members of the union will meet Nov. 25 to discuss their next move. If OPSEU votes to submit a strike application, it could mean a strike as early as Dec. 21. Getz said.
Strike vote possible for faculty
Thursday, 19 November 2009 11:29
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This post was mentioned on Twitter by alexhalbert: RT @SarahM_Evans: Humber College could strike as early as December 21, eek! http://bit.ly/8FJ0qj #Humberpr…
Will this strike affect Guelph-Humber too? Much of Guelph-Humber’s faculty work also at Humber. ..
I am hoping that they prolong this strike until at least after exam. I just hope this does not go on for too long.
If Humber goes on strike it will be a terrible thing! Us students work hard in class, and then all of a sudden for there to be a strike where all the money we invest into school is wasted! Please, NO STRIKE!
NO STRIKE
I can’t waste any more of my life waiting for a strike to pass. People pay good money to get an education. Don’t ruin this for us.
We work too hard for this!
NO STRIKE
[...] to the student paper, Humber’s teacher union and administration may be in a logjam that could lead to a strike. A strike that could potentially derail whatever plans the innocent tuition-payers caught in the [...]
If teachers really wanted to show us they cared about us, here’s what I propose they do:
http://advertisingismycopyright.wordpress.com/2009/12/01/teacher-strikes-how-unions-can-keep-the-students-families-on-their-side/
No Strike. This is my last year and I would like to complete it with no interruptions. we college students pay good money to get our education . Think about us for once.
The teachers should strike before students pay their tuition. This would provide the presure on the College without putting a financial burden on the students. Remember the students, our future. It is disgusting to be putting this financial burden on the students.