Students, staff take to social media to express relief after strike on Ontario colleges ends

The Ontario Public Service Employees Union representing 16,000 college faculty members and the College Employers Council reached an agreement on Thursday evening to enter into binding interest on arbitrators, thereby abolishing the strike planned for Friday.

The news came just an hour before the strike deadline.

Some students have taken to social media to express their relief, considering all the hurdles of personal and virtual learning that the pandemic post-secondary students have to offer.

Twitter user Peachy shared her experience about the stress of waiting for the news for the past two weeks and the emotional toll to find out the school will be doing business as usual. She said, “After all this worry for 2 weeks about the walkout strike of Ontario College. They call it quits …… Remember, I’m starting my projects again.”

Twitter user Markus posted a picture of an email received by Seneca students informing students about the abortion strike, sharing their feelings: “Now back to the previously planned stress of tests and orders.”

Valerie Ooshag shared her enthusiasm and strangely suggested that her choice of wardrobe on Thursday might have contributed to the decision: “I think I wear my band skirt today on campus, which brought out good medicine. I was told that the #OntarioCollegeStrike was torn down. Yes! “

Katrina Jennifer Bedford, a professor at Durham College, also took to social media to share her feelings and sympathies with students. In a screenshot of an email informing faculty and students that the strike was over, she said, “To all Ontario College students: You did not deserve the extra stress that this organ caused. As a faculty member. I’m sorry about that. I’m glad the strike was over and we can all go on with the show. #OntarioCollegeStrike #nostrike #noworktorule #putstudentsfirst. “

Prior to the agreement, Twitter user Tay Irene shared her frustration as the students were not informed in time about a potential strike and expressed how this situation is not surprising. “The only thing worse than a strike so far this semester is to keep students in the dark less than 12 hours before the strike deadline. It’s good we’re not used to being informed at this point. #OntarioCollegeStrike, said Irene.

One shared how happy she was about the news, especially since she had some celebratory self-care plans to complete another year.

“I’m so glad that Ontario Colleges is not going to strike !! It’s just 4 weeks left and I’ve booked a Pod Spa as congratulations, I’ve finished another first year of College Gift / Self Care Gift !! It’s all 100% worth it will be in my tattoo on Tuesday, “said Twitter user slinky fizzy.