After 18 days, a tentative settlement has been reached to end Ontario’s college support staff strike.
Following two days of bargaining by negotiators, the deal was struck late Sunday night.
Rob Bemister, chair of the OPSEU bargaining team, said the union secured key contract proposals for its members and hopes all members will approve the tentative deal.
Over 8,000 college support workers will be returning to work Sept. 20.
Details are expected to be released after the settlement has been approved, which a date has not been set for.

It would seem as though postponed assignments and a lighter workload would be any college students’ dream. Even though it may be the case for some students at Mohawk, it comes at a hefty price. Due to the current strike, students have been disconnected from the Internet, turning the dream into a nightmare.
Currently, the staff that monitors the Wi-Fi is out walking the picket lines. In order to make life a little easier for students, the college has set up locations within the campus that have a limited number of …

After nearly two weeks of delays, the newly renovated Arnie may soon be open for business.
The Arnie was scheduled to open on three different dates, including this past Wednesday. Each of these cancellations were due to problems with the flooring.
President of the Mohawk Students Association, Daniel Clark, says there was an oily film on the floor, making it extremely slippery and unsafe for students.
“Honestly, it was like a skating rink in there,” Clark said. “A wet sheet of ice.”
As a solution to this problem, the flooring company has decided to …

Students are keeping their fingers as strikers go back to the bargaining table. The Ontario Public Services Employees Union (OPSEU) has adjusted their demands, causing the mediator for the strike to pass the message to school management. This could possibly allow talks to continue as early as Sept. 17.
The main sticking point in this strike is the three per cent wage increase, and job security that the union is asking for.
“By modifying our demands on wages and retiree benefits, we demonstrated our commitment to the bargaining process and the students …

Students are left wondering how to vote on Oct. 6 as campus polling stations have been cancelled.
Since the strike isn’t expected to be over any time soon, Elections Canada has decided not to have special polling stations on campus for fear that the strikers will compromise the safety and integrity of the voting system. These on-campus polls were a new idea meant to start this year to encourage about 200,000 Ontario college students to have their say in the upcoming election.
Since youth voter turnout has been something of a concern …

It goes without saying – the support staff on strike has posed a unique set of challenges for Mohawk College.   With the theoretical ball being left behind by the strikers, part-time and administrative staff have teamed up with students to keep the game in play.
Some big names in the college have been found helping out wherever possible.
“I even saw [Mohawk College] President Rob MacIsaac [helping out] in the OSAP office one of the days,” said Andy Hall, MSA’s Vice President.
Meanwhile over in The Square, Jay Robb, Director of Media Relations …

Mohawk College is offering a Police Foundations Co-op for the first time this year. Students are able to volunteer at the local Hamilton Policing Centre on Ottawa Street to gain experience in the field by participating in different programs.
“Some of them have a couple volunteer jobs,” said Marg Marshall, volunteer program coordinator at the Policing Centre. “If they’re doing a co-op program, they need seven hundred hours.”
Marshall will have students work in programs such as the Car Seat Instalment program, speed watch, the Lock It or Lose It program and …