How do students feel about the strike?
I have been covering the support staff
strike since before it began, when both sides
were still at the bargaining table, and I must
admit, it can get a bit tiring. As is to be
expected with strike situations, each side is
presenting their own views, supporting their
side's cause. After hearing representatives
from the union and Fanshawe College tell
me two different stories, I decided that
maybe it's time we focus less on the he
said/she said of it all, and more on how the
students are being impacted.
I began my search, as most detectives do, with Facebook. I saw many comments made by students enraged about the strike, engaging in extensive debates about what, exactly, the union demands are and whether or not this strike is justifiable, given the current economic climate. Unfortunately, I also saw many students writing threatening comments targeted towards picketers, including their desires to spit on them and throw eggs at them.
As someone who is still overwhelmed after reading and asking questions about this strike almost daily, I can easily see how students may be having a hard time navigating the details of this situation. I thought, after seeing such passionate and vocal people on Facebook, it would be a good idea to hit the halls and talk to some students in person about how the strike has affected them.
As I approached students to ask them a few questions, once we got past the deer-inthe- headlights 'why are you coming up to me' faces, I saw something completely unexpected: over their faces washed a wave of glazed-over apathy. I asked them how the strike has affected them and got a lot of responses involving hours spent in traffic jams, waiting for Financial Aid appointments in lineups at the bookstore.
It was clear to me that these students were all being affected by the strike, so I asked them if they knew exactly what the strike was about. They virtually all gave me the same honest answer: they had no clue. I obviously had to ask if they wanted to know more, and was shocked to hear that they didn't care; they didn't want more details or information. I just didn't understand. How is it that the dozen or so students I talked to can be bothered by inconveniences, delays, late professors and reduced services and yet not care why?
Now, don't get me wrong — I'm not saying that all students are apathetic about the strike. There are many students who have very strong feelings about how the strike is being handled by the college, the picketers and the media. They want answers and they want a resolution, but perhaps students are more comfortable expressing their opinions behind a computer screen than in person, as many of us are.
Here's what students need to know: this strike does affect you, in more ways than just delays and long lines. The day will come when many current students will be members of unions — some even here at Fanshawe — and there might even be a time when they will need to go on strike. It is important to understand what this strike means, not only for you now a student, but also for you someday as an employee.
What if the current union members weren't demanding better full-time positions, and how could that impact your future? Sure, this strike is a bit inconvenient and figuring out what, exactly, is going on can be overwhelming, but it is important for everyone to take a moment, step back and look at the big picture.
The Interrobang is Fanshawe's student voice, so make yours heard. To submit a letter to the editor (about this or anything else) and to continue following the strike updates, visit fsu.ca/interrobang
Editorial opinions or comments expressed in this online edition of Interrobang newspaper reflect the views of the writer and are not those of the Interrobang or the Fanshawe Student Union. The Interrobang is published weekly by the Fanshawe Student Union at 1001 Fanshawe College Blvd., P.O. Box 7005, London, Ontario, N5Y 5R6 and distributed through the Fanshawe College community. Letters to the editor are welcome. All letters are subject to editing and should be emailed. All letters must be accompanied by contact information. Letters can also be submitted online by clicking here.
I began my search, as most detectives do, with Facebook. I saw many comments made by students enraged about the strike, engaging in extensive debates about what, exactly, the union demands are and whether or not this strike is justifiable, given the current economic climate. Unfortunately, I also saw many students writing threatening comments targeted towards picketers, including their desires to spit on them and throw eggs at them.
As someone who is still overwhelmed after reading and asking questions about this strike almost daily, I can easily see how students may be having a hard time navigating the details of this situation. I thought, after seeing such passionate and vocal people on Facebook, it would be a good idea to hit the halls and talk to some students in person about how the strike has affected them.
As I approached students to ask them a few questions, once we got past the deer-inthe- headlights 'why are you coming up to me' faces, I saw something completely unexpected: over their faces washed a wave of glazed-over apathy. I asked them how the strike has affected them and got a lot of responses involving hours spent in traffic jams, waiting for Financial Aid appointments in lineups at the bookstore.
It was clear to me that these students were all being affected by the strike, so I asked them if they knew exactly what the strike was about. They virtually all gave me the same honest answer: they had no clue. I obviously had to ask if they wanted to know more, and was shocked to hear that they didn't care; they didn't want more details or information. I just didn't understand. How is it that the dozen or so students I talked to can be bothered by inconveniences, delays, late professors and reduced services and yet not care why?
Now, don't get me wrong — I'm not saying that all students are apathetic about the strike. There are many students who have very strong feelings about how the strike is being handled by the college, the picketers and the media. They want answers and they want a resolution, but perhaps students are more comfortable expressing their opinions behind a computer screen than in person, as many of us are.
Here's what students need to know: this strike does affect you, in more ways than just delays and long lines. The day will come when many current students will be members of unions — some even here at Fanshawe — and there might even be a time when they will need to go on strike. It is important to understand what this strike means, not only for you now a student, but also for you someday as an employee.
What if the current union members weren't demanding better full-time positions, and how could that impact your future? Sure, this strike is a bit inconvenient and figuring out what, exactly, is going on can be overwhelming, but it is important for everyone to take a moment, step back and look at the big picture.
The Interrobang is Fanshawe's student voice, so make yours heard. To submit a letter to the editor (about this or anything else) and to continue following the strike updates, visit fsu.ca/interrobang
Editorial opinions or comments expressed in this online edition of Interrobang newspaper reflect the views of the writer and are not those of the Interrobang or the Fanshawe Student Union. The Interrobang is published weekly by the Fanshawe Student Union at 1001 Fanshawe College Blvd., P.O. Box 7005, London, Ontario, N5Y 5R6 and distributed through the Fanshawe College community. Letters to the editor are welcome. All letters are subject to editing and should be emailed. All letters must be accompanied by contact information. Letters can also be submitted online by clicking here.
