York University Strike Day 4

by Cristina Lavecchia and Amol Malik with video files from Jonathan Buckstein

A strike by about 3,000 York University contract faculty, and teaching and graduate assistants is now entering its fourth day, with no bargaining prospects in sight.

York Federation of Students, the organization representing 49,000 undergraduate students at the university, has written a letter to President Rhonda Lenton and the York Administration asking them to return to the bargaining table. The latest bargaining was March 6, when the union representing the university’s academic workers provided a counter offer, but it was rejected by York’s bargaining team. The main issues are job security, as well as equity, accessibility and accommodation for teaching assistants.

A CUPE 3903 picketing captain says, “After we voted to go on strike, York said well they need to give us a counter offer if they want to bargain. We crafted a counter offer, and they said they don’t like it, so there is still not bargain”

The strike is not just affecting the York University community. Seneca students who attend classes on the campus are feeling the impact as well.

Delays getting into the campus have also been an issue for both cars and buses. Honking horns and frustration can be seen at all the entrances leading into campus as barricades have been set in place by picketers.

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