York University President & Vice-Chancellor Mamdouh Shoukri has welcomed yesterday’s initiative by Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty to appoint the province’s director of dispute resolution services, Reg Pearson, to explore the possibilities of reaching a negotiated settlement between York University and CUPE 3903.
Shoukri said: “We welcome this initiative by Premier McGuinty which has introduced a new dynamic into the situation. This strike has gone on for far too long and has been highly destructive for our 50,000 students. We look forward to Reg Pearson’s involvement in the hope that it will lead to a speedy resolution.”
In a news converence yesterday, McGuinty commented that CUPE 3903 ‘s rejection of the University’s offer in a supervised vote on Tuesday was “disappointing”. McGuinty made it clear that Pearson’s assignment would be time-limited “to explore the possibilities of bringing the sides together.”
Canadian Union of Public Employees Local 3903, which represents teaching assistants, contract faculty and graduate assistants, has been on strike since Nov. 6