Post-secondary Minister Mitzie Hunter is urging both York University and the union representing its striking teaching assistants to return to the bargaining table.

Hunter said she has reached out to both sides to end the job action, which began March 5 for some 3,000 teaching assistants, contract faculty and graduate assistants, impacting about half of all classes.

“The best deals ... happen at the bargaining table,” said Hunter, minister of advanced education and skills development, at the legislature on Wednesday.

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“That’s what we are encouraging both sides to do — to come together and to resolve this in a way that is fair to both sides.”

Talks resumed Tuesday, but broke off later in the day.

“I know everyone is working very hard,” Hunter also said.

“Classes are still happening and students are attending classes, and everyone knows that the priority is the students and their learning.”

The union, CUPE 3903, said on its website that “after more than two weeks away from the bargaining table, we are disappointed and dismayed that York will not continue bargaining despite the progress that took place.”

The two sides, it says, have agreed on a number of items already, and that the union has dropped a number of demands.

However, in a statement, York said CUPE 3903 is “unwilling to move on positions which are unrealistic and unprecedented.”

York says it “has already tabled the best pay and benefits package of its kind in Ontario, and our offer is superior to those that have produced settlements at several other Ontario universities in recent months.”

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The assistants and faculty on strike handle about 60 per cent of the coursework.

A five-week strike by college teachers last fall ended after the government passed back-to-work legislation.