With colleges strike in week 4, both sides still in talks

With the Ontario colleges strike now in its fourth week,both sides remain at the bargainingtabletrying to hammer out an agreement.

Darryl Bedford, president of OPSEU Local 110 representing faculty atFanshaweCollege, said in an email that both sides were engaged in bargaining sessions "throughout the weekend."

• Talks resume between striking Ontario faculty and colleges

Also, talks were underway Monday morning, Bedford said.He couldn't say whether progress has been made because both sides haveagreed to a media blackout.

The strike, affecting 500,000 students at 24 public colleges across the province, began Oct. 16.

After two weeks without talks, both sides returned to the bargaining table on Nov. 2.

• Job security the 'big thing' for striking Ontario college faculty struggling with contract work

Labour dispute

About 12,000 college professors, counsellors and librarians represented by the Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU) are negotiating with the College Employer Council.

Job security and academic freedom remain the main issues in the dispute.

The unionsaid that up to 70 per cent of college instructorswork on part-time contracts. Union officials wanta 50-50 ratio of full to part-time staffa demand the council has said would boost its $750-million annual payroll by $250-million.

While talks continue, students remain uncertain about whether or not they'll be able to complete this semester.

Last week,FanshaweCollege pushed back its class schedule toDec. 22.

• FanshaweCollege pushes back semester, warns students about travel

A statement on Fanshawe's website points out that noOntario college has ever lost its academic year because of a faculty strike. That statement also saidthat the London college expectsstudents will be able to complete their academic year once the strike ends.