Fanshawe College has hit its fourth week in its support staff strike, and driving in and around the area may now pose challenges for morning and evening job commuters, as well as students.
Workers at the picket lines have been seen causing traffic disruptions and preventing cars from entering or exiting campus at the Cheapside Street and Fanshawe College Boulevard entrances, with security on standby.
“Due to an increase in strike activity at colleges across the province, students and employees are now experiencing some significant delays in crossing the picket lines to get onto all campus locations,” said a statement released to students and staff Wednesday morning.
“Please plan ahead and leave yourself lots of time to get to your classes on time.”
Students are asked to be patient and avoid confrontational remarks or arguments, said the college.
The support staff went on strike on Sept. 11, and have since been asking the College Employer Council (CEC) to meet demands for fair wages and long-term funding.
“For the first give or take two weeks, there was zero slowing of traffic in any manner,” said Adam Rayfield, President of Local 109 Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU).
(Picketers at Cheapside Street entrance, Naomi Ljunggren)
After the two weeks, there was a dedicated unit to slow traffic in a targeted manner that did not include “wholesale” traffic slow-downs, said Rayfield.
“It wasn’t until [Monday], we commenced doing it at a wider scale at all picket locations, with the greatest impact at the main campus location.”
The decision to slow traffic has been done so with community safety in mind for picketers, staff, and students, said Rayfield.
“We find ourselves in this position today because we’re four weeks in and we remain without resolution to the underlying issues of this strike.”
The delays are entirely legal under both the provincial and federal governments, said Rayfield, who reassures that conversations have been had with police.
The CEC has ceased all communications with OPSEU since the previous Monday, but the bargaining table remains open for OPSEU, said Rayfield.
XFM News reached out to the college for comment, but it declined.
Updates on the strike can be found here and students will be notified by Fanshawe College if the strike is to impede on classes.
