On Thursday, September 25th, full-time College Support workers on the lines at Collège Boréal in Sudbury were joined by OPSEU/SEFPO President JP Hornick, First Vice-President and Treasurer Laurie Nancekivell, and members of the Ontario NDP to rally for the future of Ontario Colleges.
Amidst the second week of the strike, the rally sent a clear message to the employer – Ontario deserves a college system that is staffed, funded and open!
Quotes
“Collège Boréal would not exist without its workers. Every success story, every achievement, and every thriving community it has supported is built by their hard work and dedication. That’s why we’re here today, standing shoulder to shoulder with OPSEU/SEFPO members, fighting for respect, fairness, and dignity. The Ontario NDP will always stand with workers.”
-Marit Stiles, Ontario NDP Leader
“But institutions are only as strong as the people who make them live and breathe — and Boréal’s success is thanks to its workers. The teachers, staff, and support workers are the backbone of this college and of the Franco-Ontarian community.”
-France Gélinas, Shadow Minister for Francophone Affairs
“Collège Boréal has always been about more than an institution; It’s about the people who make it thrive. The staff, the educators, the support workers are the driving force behind its success and the backbone of the Franco-Ontarian community.”
-Jamie West, Shadow Minister for Labour
“This is not just a fight for Boréal, this is not just a fight for this generation of students, this is a fight for the future of education in Ontario. Colleges are part of the backbone of our economy, and when we lose a college, we lose more than an educational institution, we lose a piece of who we are, but more, who we can be.”
-JP Hornick, OPSEU/SEFPO President