Minister ‘very troubled’ by lack of talks between colleges, union, Oct. 25

Deb Matthews presents an odd picture as the cabinet minister responsible for Ontario’s community colleges: a lame duck shedding crocodile tears.

She says she’s “very troubled” by the students caught in the strike, but fails to exercise her proper authority to send the college management team back to the bargaining table.

Don Sinclair, head of the management team, is only interested in blaming the union. His position seems to be that the whole problem could be solved right away if the union would simply agree with him.

Meanwhile, Matthews and Premier Kathleen Wynne, while professing concern for minimum-wage and part-time workers, have done nothing to stop the long-standing abuse of part-time workers in the colleges. This trend is unjust to the part-time teachers and corrodes the quality of education offered by colleges.

If the Ontario government really cared about the students, it would order the management team back to the bargaining table and provide adequate funding. In the meantime, spare us the phoney tears.

Frank Green, London, Ont.

I am writing to voice my full support for the striking college professors. I am in total agreement that their current employment situation cannot be allowed to stand.

These highly educated, dedicated professionals have earned better than to be treated as “temp” employees. They should not be viewed as disposable workers while their employers benefit from their specialized knowledge on the cheap. They deserve and have earned the right to full-time jobs with the accompanying benefits.

The shameful treatment of these teachers by the college employers council, and by extension the college administrators and the provincial Liberal government, must cease. It’s time for the Wynne government to stop undermining the education of our students.

Marc Moreau, Kingston, Ont.

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