York U stress with students

No school for almost three months! A childhood dream maybe but a stark reality for over 50,000 students of York University.

CUPE 3903, the union that represents the teaching assistants and part time staff, walked off the job on Nov 6 2008. Requests for job security and a steady wage increase of 11% over the next two years were put forward to the York University president. However, York was unable to meet their needs and offered a significantly less increase of 9.25% over the next three years.

Fortunately for all the YorkU students inconvenienced by the strike, school has commenced on Feb 2 2009. Due to back-to-work legislation, over 3,000 teaching assistants were forced back to work.

Students of York University were initially overjoyed about the supposed temporary delay in classes. According to Bridgette Wilson, “at first I was somewhat happy because I felt like my body needed a break from the 7 hour dance days. I am a dance major at York. And maybe a week or two off would be the perfect way to relax, catch my breath and then get right back into school in full force. Little did I know November 6th-Febuary 2nd was their version of 1 or 2 weeks.”

We can see that no one expected the strike to be this lengthy. CUPE 3903 and York have been battling back and forth in nasty disputes to say the least. After the walkout, picket lines started promptly. The semester ended uneventfully and students returned to their homes for the Christmas break, some happily, some extremely worried with dozens of questions hovering in the air with no immediate direct answers.

How much longer will this be going on? When are we going to finish the semester? What is going to happen to our money? What about summer courses? What about my summer job?

Fourth Year student Casey Chu Cheong was also faced with some hard-hitting questions. She tells us that she knows she is not alone in this battle. She stresses that she does not know whether or not to fight through the compressed semesters or take the time off and return in September or maybe Summer to complete her education.
“Of course one decision affects everything else including rent, travel plans, jobs and post graduation plans. It is all too complicated and unfair that so many life changing decisions have had to be made by so many people due to something that was completely out of our control,” says Casey

Fortunately for student Bridgette, she managed to save her tuition money by doing something that she would normally be penalized for. “Thankfully my father hadn't gotten around to paying off my winter tuition and I had completed all my academic courses in the previous summer semester so the impact of the strike in this way probably has not affected me as it has most other students with timely paying parents.”

Jan 5 2009. The proposed beginning date of the winter semester at York University if the strike had never occurred. Unfortunately, it was still in full swing. CUPE 3903 continued to man the picket lines and York continued to stand its grounds on their offer. A few weeks later, York attempted to end the strike by forcing all members of the union to participate in a forced ratification vote. Some members of the union were appalled at the move.

Tyler Shipley, official spokesperson for the CUPE 3903 who was on the picket line told us, “We want to get our members together. We want people to vote against this forced ratification. This is an inadequate offer. The offer that they are putting forward is an offer they proposed already and we already voted no.”
Tyler must have been thrilled when his associates voted a no to this vote. However, the students were progressively getting more irate

“I was and still am very annoyed. You cannot compress a term, cover less work than normally covered, charge people the same amount of money as if the term were the same and then allow people to graduate feeling as if they were cheated of some part of their education,” said adamant student Bridgette. “It is ridiculous and absolutely unfair. On the other hand, it is necessary in order to ensure the effects of the strike does not drag on into the fall/winter 2009-2010 academic year.”

York has been experiencing a considerable 15% decline in the number of students applying to the university for Fall 2009. Students seem to be wary of a school that is experiencing so much friction with their administration and teaching staff. There may be a possibility of another strike within the next four years. York should be taking all moves to reassure current as well as potential students that the situation is under control Instilling confidence in the university’s system is imperative.

Bridgette believes that York is taking advantage of its students because they know “we have no choice.” She stated, “The reputation of York has a lot of making up to do because there is no telling where an angry student body of 50,000 plus can spread the news.” She also offers a final thought to us about the dilemma that they face, especially as graduating students.

“Many things have changed, many plans [are] now non existent or completely shifted gears and the once confident soon to be "real people" of a society are back to the drawing board wondering what the hell to do next.”

*Disclaimer: Casey...yeh..I used some of Bridgette's quote as yours ANDDD i wrote this in 40 mins so spare me!