Attention News Editors: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE York University students demand that the union and university end the strike within one week Proposal would see unresolved issues sent to an arbitrator if strike does not end by January 15 TORONTO, January 8, 2009—A group representing close to 4,000 York University students today demanded that the union and university set a deadline for the completion of negotiations to end the nine-week-old strike at the university. “We have always hoped that both sides would return to the bargaining table,” said Lyndon Koopmans, an organizer of YorkNotHostage.com. “But negotiations do nothing for students unless they end the strike. We cannot accept protracted negotiations that prolong the strike and threaten the school year. There must be an end to the negotiations, and an end to the strike.” YorkNotHostage.com proposes that negotiations conclude by Thursday, January 15, when the strike will become 10 weeks old. Under the proposal, any issues that have not been resolved in negotiations will be submitted to voluntary binding arbitration. This would result in an immediate end of the strike and permit classes to resume the following week. If accepted by both parties, these measures will ensure that classes can resume at York University by Monday, January 19. The YorkNotHostage.com proposal would likely need to be approved by the members of CUPE Local 3903. The union will have a general members meeting at 5:00 p.m. today. YorkNotHostage.com also forwarded its proposal to Premier Dalton McGuinty. The group has asked the premier to recall the Legislature and pass back-to-work legislation if the union and the university do not accept their proposal. - 30 - Contact: Lyndon Koopmans, lyndon.koopmans@gmail.com Catherine Divaris, cdiva@yorku.ca Discuss this article here: http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?uid=44571865743&topic=6844 |