Jan 29, 2009
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 29, 2009
PC MPP WANTS FEWER DELAYS AND EXCUSES IN PROTECTING EDUCATION FROM STRIKES
Queen?s Park Peter Shurman, MPP (Thornhill) today voted to send striking CUPE 3903 members at York University back to work. Since November Shurman has been asking the government to step in to end the strike so that York U. students could return to their studies, rescue their academic year and salvage future plans.
?During the strike hundreds of my constituents told me that they wanted their government to step in and protect the education of York University students. Students told me that they?ve had to miss out on once-in-a life time internship opportunities, job offers and post-graduate plans because the strike has taken so long to resolve. Since November I?ve been calling on the Premier to introduce back-to-work legislation to end the strike before the holiday break, but Dalton McGuinty wasn?t ready to listen then and instead 50,000 students had to endure over two months of uncertainty as the government delayed this legislation for 11 weeks. I?m relieved that it has passed, but I will really breathe a sigh of relief when lecture halls at York University are again full on Monday,? said Shurman following Question Period today.
About 3,400 contract faculty, teaching assistants and graduate assistants went on strike on November 6, shutting down all classes and academic activities at York University. Shurman has since then been advocating for York students who have borne the brunt of the strike but who did not have a voice at the table.
?I?m very relieved that students will be able to continue the education that they earned and paid for, although it?s unfortunate that it took so long for Premier McGuinty to step in to resolve this crisis. I really hope that he has learned his lesson and that when this situation repeats itself at other institutions students will get fewer excuses, less delays and more leadership from this Premier and his Cabinet,? Shurman added.
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For more information please contact:
Monika Bujalska, Executive Assistant
Office of Peter Shurman, MPP-Thornhill
(416) 325-1415
peter.shurman@pc.ola.org