Thousands of teaching assistants, contract faculty members, and graduate assistants at York University, in Toronto, have gone on strike, bringing classes and other campus activities to a halt. Now students — some of whom worry that the school year will eventually be extended into the summer term — are taking to Facebook to complain.
The York University Anti-Strike group, which now boasts just over 800 members, is circulating a position statement urging that the labor dispute be resolved through binding arbitration. And the group’s message board — where people who support the strike have sparred with group members — has actually hosted some interesting debate. For every sophomoric comment (“hey everyone! im a striker… and im LAMEEEEEEE!!!”), there’s one focusing on how the strike is affecting local businesses, say, or on international students concerned about visa restrictions and travel plans. —Brock Read
