Louise Brown
Education Reporter - Toronto Star
Fed
up with a "ridiculous strike" they say is putting their studies at
risk, hundreds of York University students held a rally yesterday on
campus to push Queen's Park to end the 12-day-old work stoppage by
teaching assistants and contract faculty.
"We just want classes to start tomorrow and we want to take action,
not just cry on Facebook," said kinesiology major Catherine Divaris,
who helped organize the rally. "Every day the strike goes on could
shorten our summer holidays and reduce our chances of working."
About
500 students have signed a petition asking the province for
back-to-work legislation, something Ministry of Labour spokesperson
Bruce Skeaff said the government is reluctant to do.
"We would
strongly urge everyone involved to get back to the table," said Skeaff,
"but our position is that it's up to the partners involved to work out
a resolution."
The rally was planned by students who first
connected on Facebook over the strike by the Canadian Union of Public
Employees 3903, which represents about 3,340 teaching assistants,
graduate assistants and contract faculty at York who walked off the job
Nov. 6 over wages, benefits and job security.
The university has
offered a 9.25 per cent raise over three years; the union is seeking a
two-year deal and a raise of 11 per cent.
Conservative MPP Peter Shurman represents Thornhill, where he says many York students and parents have been calling him.
"The
government needs to get the lead out and end this strike. I agree with
students that they have been held hostage by a union that's looking for
an 11 per cent raise over two years ? a pretty hefty chunk of change,"
he said.
Rachel Turbett was one of six students in a
choreography course who sold home baking at the rally to raise money to
rent a hall off-campus for their big dance show, cancelled indefinitely
because of the strike.