Strike is the last word that we all want to hear right now, especially
when our semester is half completed. However, this is a very unfortunate
issue facing all 24 Colleges across Ontario affecting 140, 000 full time
students this spring. As your Student Administrative Council, we will
keep you informed throughout the bargaining process. We believe that it
is YOUR right to know what is going on with YOUR education. We are also
asking you to prepare yourself, in the event that our semester goes into
May.

Negotiations have been taking place for the last five months between
OPSEU and College Compensation and Appointments Council (CCAC).
Negotiations broke off on the 30th of January 2004, without a
settlement. The issues involved are complex. They include monetary
issues and benefit improvements.

On the 17th of February 2004, Ontario community College teachers will
hold a strike vote to empower the Union to use a strike as a bargaining
tool. Even if the vote is to strike, this does not mean that a strike
will happen. However, if the vote IS to strike, and there are NO further
negotiations, 6, 300 College teachers could walk off the job as of the
3rd of March 2004.

The strike could have detrimental effects on our lives as students. We
wish that we had more answers for you. Student Governments are not able
to sit in on the negotiations and as such, our concerns are not being
taken into consideration by either party. There is no way of knowing how
long a strike could last. However, we do know that Fleming College will
stay open to students and, although there will be no classes, Support
staff will continue to work. The Student Administrative Council will
remain open and we will do all that we can to help you in this stressful
time. We will strive to keep you informed on any progress. We have been
assured that Fleming College will do everything in its power to make
sure that we will get the same quality of education if the strike is to
occur.

The Student Administrative Council will not be taking sides on this
issue. Our SOLE purpose is to represent the best interests of students.
Although we are sympathetic to the issues surrounding the negotiations,
we want, and expect, constructive and meaningful talks between OPSEU and
CCAC in order to avert the possibility of a strike.


We encourage you to email your concerns to flemingsac@flemingc.on.ca.
The College Student Alliance (CSA), our provincial lobbying group, is
fighting along with all Student Governments to ensure that your voice is
being heard. We encourage you to visit the website that CSA has set up
www.collegestrike.com . Although we may not know all of the answers,
it is important that we know all of your concerns, so that we may be
able to make Management and the Union aware of what we, as students, are
facing.

Sincerely,


Student Administrative Council of Fleming College