There is a mix of support and anger from Fanshawe students as faculty voted to reject a college offer that would have ended what has become the longest college faculty strike in Ontario history.
Over two days, 95% of union rank-and-file members submitted votes on the College Employer Council's latest offer. The final tally was 86% against accepting the offer. The council had asked the Ontario Labour Relations Board to take the vote directly to the 12,000 college instructors, counselors, and librarians at the province's 24 public colleges after talks broke down last week. However, faculty heeded the advice of the Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU) and voted "no."
Darryl Bedford, who represents Fanshawe's faculty, said student reaction to the rejection Thursday has been swift and mixed.
"We are hearing messages of support, we are also hearing messages of anger. That is understandable. They probably don't understand why we rejected this offer," said Bedford, who is an information technology instructor at Fanshawe. "But it was contract language that you really had to read and pore over and understand what it did. The actual contract language was very different than what the College Employer Council was telling the public and students."
OPSEU Local 110 President Darryl Bedford.
Faculty members have been walking the picket line since October 16 and Bedford notes their determination to get a fair deal has not wavered.
"Our members are not going to be fooled by trickery. They are not going to be fooled by concessions hidden in the middle of the language. They are not going to be fooled by including a few good items and then inserting language that would take the college system backwards," said Bedford. "The message this [rejection] sends is that both sides need to get back to the table, negotiate an agreement, no more delays, no more take it or leave it offers, no more forced votes -- actual negotiation so that we can get a tentative agreement that both sides can unanimously recommend."
He is optimistic that if talks were to continue through the weekend a deal could be reached and faculty back to work sometime next week.
"There is still time to salvage this term and the academic year. Time is running short but it can be done," said Bedford. "There are plenty of items on which the parties can reach agreement. There are also lots of items that can just simply remain as status quo. So we think if the College Employer Council comes to the table ready to bargain then we can get an agreement."
OPSEU President Warren (Smokey) Thomas confirmed talks between the two sides resumed Thursday afternoon. The return to the bargaining table came at the insistence of Premier Kathleen Wynne.
The faculty walkout, now in its fifth week, cancelled classes for more than half a million students across the province.
Fanshawe College administration has announced it will extend the fall semester until January 16 or possibly January 23, depending on when the strike ends.
"Classes will run until Friday, December 22, 2017, and restart on Wednesday, January 3, 2018," said a statement on the college website. "This will give students enough time to finish the fall semester and complete exams and assignments."
No Ontario college student has ever lost their semester because of a strike. However, previous strikes at the province’s colleges, in 1984, 1989, and 2006, were resolved in about three weeks.