THUNDER BAY - The faculty strike at colleges across Ontario that has left thousands of students locked out of the classroom for more than a month has officially come to an end after the back-to-work legislation passed at Queen’s Park.
The Colleges of Applied Arts and Technology Labour Dispute Resolution Act was passed Sunday afternoon. It was first introduced last Thursday by the Ontario government and discussion continued throughout the weekend, with the NDP opposing the legislation.
The legislation ends the labour dispute between the Ontario Public Service Employees Union and the College Employer Council that began on Oct. 16 after contract negotiations broke down and more than 12,000 faculty members took to the picket lines at 24 colleges across the province.
The strike left more than 5,000 students at Confederation College unable to attend classes, leaving many frustrated and worried about what would happen to their academic year.
With the strike now over, officials with Confederation College said full-time and partial-load faculty will return to work on Monday, Nov. 20 and classes will resume at regularly scheduled times on Tuesday, Nov. 21.
Students can expect to learn more about how the transition back to class will work during the first week back, as well as further details about rescheduling dates for assignments, exams, and work placements.
Issues outstanding in the labour dispute will be referred to binding mediation-arbitration. Colleges have also been instructed to establish a fund with net savings from the strike to be used to support students who may have experienced financial hardships during the strike.
Confederation College said they will also be offering counseling services and other supports to students and employees as the transition back to work and class continues.
