Ontario Colleges on Strike..... How is it affecting you?

[MedicMal]

Hey everyone,

just wanted to hear from other paramedic (PCP and ACP) students that are going to school here in Ontario. How is the strike affecting you? What have your teachers told you as far as if it's gonna affect you graduating or getting a job?

All I've been told is that we'll be fine as long as we've gotten our preceptorship hours in and can be "signed off" by our preceptors (which I have).

Let me hear your opinions

MedicMal

[Guest DELETED]

DELETED

[Guest]

It is anticipated that if the strike last more than 5 weeks we've completely lost our term (and money). Even speaking as a semester 2 student, this is a really bad time for a strike. 6 weeks until final practical testing and that is a stressful thought in itself (we're all basket cases as it is- no joke), let alone adding the fact that we are unable to go to the school to practice. We still have 2 meds that we must learn to deliver (and practice) and are still struggling through the remainder of our defib protocols. I realize this may not be rocket science, but this is going to be painful for all students involved. Passing second term is quite iffy to begin with (high failure rate between year 1 and 2) but this is going to make things worse.

On a positive note, we have all the textbooks and course outlines to follow so we will be able to stay ahead in our academics- but I believe its the practical that is going to kill us in the end. Oh well, such is life.

(I find this quite funny actually as I was in the class when the gov't decided to switch from the 'old curriculum', to the 'new curriculum' for elementary and high school, we were also the first class to have to write the "literacy test" in grade 10, and so on, I guess its about time for another glitch in my education- Oh, and Im going to call the fact that when its time for rideouts next year- that'll be the year they have to pull everyone due to the Avian Flu)

[akroeze]

Well I still need to get another 200hrs of PCP preceptorship done and two weeks of classes (read that as tests) before I can graduate.

It kinda sucks cuz I have a job lined up for this summer as a camp nurse starting in June. If this strike goes on long enough, it could put that job in jeopardy!

[hammerpcp]

Damn! I just realized that this strike will affect me. I haven't been paying attention to local news at all lately, so I don't even know what this whole thing is about. Any body have any guesstimates on length? Is it all Ontario colleges?

[Guest]

Yes Hammer, its all Ontario colleges. Ive heard its supposed to last for quite some time. Im hoping that it wont go past 5 weeks (if it goes that long). They say anything after 5 weeks= we lose our semester. To my knowledge, the strike is based on salary and workload.

Arent you working already Hammer?

[jw-c152]

According to the OPSEU (the teachers union) the strike is over work load and class size.

I don't believe it's over money, because the Colleges have offered a nice raise in their last offer to the teachers... a raise which would see the college teachers making 94 000 dollars at the end of the contract. Not bad IMHO. If they think that is not enough dough then I believe they're getting a bit greedy.

So maybe it's over the workload and class sizes. But why not have their protest during the summer when it will not affect so many students. Once again, Ontario's students are being used as pawns.

Hope you all get to finish your classes and rideouts and graduate before the EMCA...

good luck.

[JakeEMTP]

So maybe it's over the workload and class sizes. But why not have their protest during the summer when it will not affect so many students. Once again, Ontario's students are being used as pawns.

I'm sorry to see this happen to you. $94,000.00 is a handsome salary, considering the amount of time they have off. As for your comment why do the have it now? Because if the did it in the summer, who really give's a shit. Unfortunately, students being used as pawns has always been the case with OPSEU. I can only hope it is over quickly so you can continue your studies. Good luck eh.

[Dustdevil]

1. Fire them.

2. Hire permanent replacements for them, making lots of senior field medics very happy.

3. Those medics leaving the field will make lots of unemployed medics happy.

4. School goes on.

5. The union is busted.

6. New blood moves into the field.

Everybody wins. Except for the losers.

[BEorP]

I'm also a Semester 2 PCP student and am not happy at all about the strike (in fact, some would say I'm a bit pissed)

I really don't care how horrible management is being (although a 12.6% pay increase over 4 years with no increase in workload sounds pretty good)

No matter what management did, I highly doubt that any of our instructors are having trouble getting food on the table and it was the union's decision to strike

If they really cared about the students they would not be on strike