Picketers dominated the front sidewalk at Nipissing MPP Vic Fedeli’s constituency office the morning.
Dozens of striking Canadore College teachers showed up on Fedeli’s doorstep in hopes of getting some support to get back to the bargaining table.
“The purpose was to bring attention to the fact that we do need some help from Queen’s Park to get those sides back to the table,” said John Patterson, Canadore College’s Faculty Union President,
“The College employer has really refused to negotiate, we need them back there. As I have said over and over we have been willing to negotiate all along and we want to be at the table and get a deal done and be back in the classroom.”
On Monday, more than 12,000 professors, counsellors and librarians at the 24 Ontario colleges, including 108 full-time faculty here at Canadore College went on strike.
Patterson says money, governance and a better split between part-time and full-time faculty, are the key issues in the province-wide work stoppage.
Fedeli greeted the picketers during the morning rally and he says he understands their frustration.
“To see this many people here today, of course, it is moving, and I know most of these people in this line and know some by name and I know they want to be back in the classes, there is no hesitation to say that,“ said Fedeli.
“The message that John and the leadership gave me this morning is, go back to Queen’s Park and tell them to get everybody to the table, that’s the message they wanted me to bring.”
