TA’s and contract faculty from York University picket for a better agreement with the school on March 3, 2015. (Willy Phan)
By Edward Bayley
York University has resumed more classes for certain faculties starting Tuesday and more faculties are set to resume on Monday, March 23.
Resumed Classes
According to the latest labor disruption update the school of arts, media performance and design, faculty of education, Glendon College, Faculty of Health (the classes that aren’t already resumed), and Faculty of Science will be continuing with classes Tuesday.
On Monday the Faculty of Environmental Studies, and more classes within the Faculty of Liberal Arts and Professional Studies, will resume.
There is a complete list of the classes that have started up again here.
Campus Chaos
Students who returned to class Tuesday were met with traffic issues on campus.
Don’t try and get to the inner yorku parking lots, it’s a disaster and symphony of car horns #YorkUStrike
— Surly Driver (@SurlyDriving) March 17, 2015
Union members in orange vests direct traffic, chat with drivers stuck at barricade. Delays around 5min. #YorkUStrike pic.twitter.com/vPxNj30ezF
— James Moore (@jamesontheradio) March 11, 2015
Students on Twitter blamed the issues not on the protesting picket lines, but on the school for resuming classes.
Over 2000 students have signed an online petition not to cross the picket line if votes to resume classes passes #cbcto #YorkUStrike
— Natalie Kalata (@natalie_kalata) March 10, 2015
Cannot properly express my level of rage at York’s apparent decision to re-open classes. #YorkUStrike #CUPE3903
— Nathan Kalman-Lamb (@nkalamb) March 16, 2015
Strike So Far
York University teaching assistants and contract staff went on strike on March 3 after they failed to reach a contract agreement with the school.
Classes remained cancelled after two of the three bargaining units rejected another settlement on March 9, but contract faculty were no longer on strike after reaching a settlement that Monday night.
Faiz Ahmed, the chair of CUPE 3093 (the union the striking TA’s and contract faculty are a part of) said the strike is mainly a matter of job security. He said the workers he represents are slotted into a course every year and have no guarantee they’ll be teaching that course year after year.