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Stilez
RealTalk & Srsbidniz

Registered: Dec 2001
Location: here & there
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York students launch lawsuit, NDP stalls bill
Looks like the students have had more than enough...and are now seeking some type of compensation.
| quote: | York students launch lawsuit, NDP stalls bill
Jan 25, 2009 07:01 PM
Tanya Talaga
QUEEN'S PARK BUREAU
and THE CANADIAN PRESS
Back to work legislation was introduced this afternoon to end the 81-day-long York University strike as hundreds of protesters rallied outside on the steps of Queen's Park.
As expected, the New Democratic Party delayed proceedings by refusing to give unanimous consent to the legislation. The delay most likely means students will not be in the classroom until early next week.
The act to resolve the labour dispute between York and the Canadian Union of Public Employees was read in the legislature shortly after 1 p.m. by MPP Peter Fonseca.
The move was met by both clapping and booing.
Every Liberal and Conservative, 65 MPPs, voted for the legislation. All eight present New Democratic members opposed it.
"This is truly a regrettable move," said NDP MPP Peter Kormos of the back-to-work bill.
"Where is the fairness when senior university administrators make $500,000 in salary and benefits?"
York University is in the driver seat here, said NDP Leader Howard Hampton. "Frankly – I think the students deserve a rebate on their fees."
York needs to go back to the bargaining table, he said, so students can go back tomorrow. "It is wrong for us to legislate workers back to work."
Also Sunday, a Toronto law firm said it has filed a class-action lawsuit in the Ontario Superior Court of Justice on behalf of York students, claiming they're entitled to a refund of their tuition and other fees.
In a release, Juroviesky and Ricci LLP says the suit, which has yet to name a lead plaintiff, alleges "class-wide violations of various statutory and common law duties to the students of York University."
Outside the Legislature, Progressive Conservative Leader John Tory called on Hampton to end the NDP opposition to the bill immediately so students could get back to school.
"I only hope, now that he has delayed things one day, he decides tomorrow will be enough," Tory said.
Tory said he does not oppose some sort of compensation for lost fees. "I think the government should think about providing some help to these students because this is not any fault of theirs."
Hampton denied being the bad guy or playing petty politics by refusing to go along with the legislation.
The public should be fully aware that the striking workers do about 54 per cent of the teaching at York and only receive a fraction of the school's salary budget, Hampton said.
"There are real and important issues to raise," Hampton said as he defended the party's stalling of the legislation.
"We believe in full and principled debate, we're not going to be a part of what we think has been a manipulative process."
The government believes it's unlikely that students will return to school this week unless the New Democrats have a change of heart, and figure Thursday is the earliest the legislation could be officially passed.
Even if that happens, York officials say they need to give students 24 hours' notice before resuming classes, which means the school likely won't reopen before Feb. 2.
Hundreds of protesters rallied outside the legislature before the legislation was introduced, the din of their demonstration echoing inside as the votes were being counted.
Striking teaching assistant Sean Starrs said he was happy to be returning to class but frustrated that the government is determined to end the impasse.
"I think it's a dangerous precedent to the entire labour movement," Starrs said of the looming back-to-work legislation.
"It shows all an employer has to do during a strike is sit (back) and not bargain at all until the government passes back-to-work legislation."
But deputy premier George Smitherman said the government gave both sides more than enough time to come to an agreement and it was clear intervention was needed.
"This has had 80 days of due process and collective bargaining, it has not resulted in a conclusion that's right for the students, we (acted) today on behalf of the students," he said.
The government bill calls for the two sides to appoint a mediator within five days of the legislation passing, or the government will select one.
The bill instructs the mediator to consider the current economic environment in Toronto and the province, what kind of cuts York could have to make, and salaries at other institutions before making a binding decision.
Workers who continue to strike or employers who bar staff from work after the legislation is passed could face fines of up to $2,000 a day.
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Source
http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/article/577037
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Jan-26-2009 04:50
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jon jon
viva la clubland

Registered: Jan 2001
Location: Footwork
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Jan-26-2009 04:51
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