If you’re a student at Canadore College, your classes are cancelled today.
Thousands of college staff will be protesting across the province today after negotiations failed between the Ontario Public Service Employees Union and the College Employer Council. Union officials say the CEC was not able to meet their demands, which include longer contracts for contracted faculty and academic freedom. CEC officials have stated they feel this strike is completely unnecessary saying what the union is asking for would cost $250 million annually and lead to thousands of contract faculty jobs. This strike involves full-time faculty, librarians, counsellors and partial-load faculty who teach between seven to 12 hours per week.
Canadore College has issued a statement saying all full and part-time classes during the week and on weekends are cancelled until this strike is over. Officials say the college will make sure every student gets an opportunity to complete their semester. Administrative workers will still be on campus and students can go into the building. College officials are reminding students that picketers will likely be outside the building and they have a right to be there.
The MyParrySoundNow Newsroom has reached out to Canadore College for a comment on this situation. If you’d like to learn more about how this will affect students right now, you can find more information here.