The Ontario legislature is set to reconvene tomorrow at 1:00 p.m. to introduce legislation that will force CUPE 3903 members back to work, bringing an end to the 80-day strike at York University. Premier Dalton McGuinty is calling upon all MPPs to accede to the proposed bill.
The move comes a week after union members voted 63% against the university’s final contract offer, and only three days after Premier McGuinty appointed mediator Reg Pearson to “bang a few heads together”. Without pointing fingers, Pearson reported there was “no reasonable prospect of a negotiated settlement” between York and the union, despite all his head-banging efforts.
Osgoode students will have to get up a little earlier on Monday: their days of having entire buses to themselves are coming to an end.
I will note that the provincial government has come under significant criticism for not making this move earlier.
Specifically, fears of litigation have been raised on all sides.
Prof. Doorey’s blog is the best place to keep track of this. He even features comments from supposed union members making a case for the union.
On the contrary, if back to work legislation is enacted Osgoode students will get up a little later on Monday as the buses will (hopefully) once again be entering the campus.
Daniel’s point is a valid one. Although I don’t take the bus in (or go to York), I’ve been delayed by over half an hour driving in to the York campus. The buses didn’t seem to fare much better from the traffic jam covering the entrances.
“Without pointing fingers, Pearson reported there was “no reasonable prospect of a negotiated settlement†between York and the union, despite all his head-banging efforts.”
Well, there’s the problem right there: Pearson must have been head-banging without making the Sign of the Horns. You have to point your fingers, man!
How is blocking the flow of traffic legal? Can’t someone call the cops and complain that there are people standing in the middle of a highway that ought to be removed?
Union buster?
What is this, 1970?
Union buster? A tad of an exaggeration no? Typical. And seriously, why are they able to block traffic? What right do they have to take away my rights? Pathetic.