By David Helwig
SooToday.com
Wednesday, March 22, 2006

NEWS RELEASE

SAULT COLLEGE STUDENT
ADMINISTRATIVE COUNCIL

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Sault College students ask: Is an acceptable resolution on the horizon?

(Sault Ste. Marie, ON) - On Wednesday evening, students were prematurely informed that talks had broken down with both sides failing to reach an agreement that is in the best interests of the students.

That is not the case: both sides now are talking about a means of arbitration.

There are two options on the table.

The union has presented a call for binding arbitration, which is where the arbitrator comes in and creates the new contract by finding a resolution between both sides.

The Council has presented the idea of final offer arbitration.

This is where both sides present their final offers, and then the arbitrator chooses one.

"We were pretty upset when we saw that talks had broken off," said Graham Vooren, president of the Sault College Student Administrative Council. "Thankfully they are still in contact and deciding what is the best means of arbitration to reach a settlement; thereby getting the students back into the classroom."

However, this may not be the best thing for the talks.

Both OPSEU and the Council have estimated the cost of OPSEU's offer is $75 million to $200 million per year.

The College Student Alliance (CSA) estimates that at the very least OPSEU's offer would cost an additional $160 million per year of system-wide funding, or just over $1,000 per student.

"We had hoped that both sides would reach an agreement together," added Vooren. "If the government will not help to make up this extra $1,000 per student, in the event things go in favour of OPSEU, then the money is going to have to come from the students' pockets - and further cuts in the college system."

If the government will not increase funding in tomorrow's budget then SAC and the CSA are urging OPSEU to lower their demands because students cannot afford higher tuition costs.

"Through any type of arbitration I am certain that student success will prevail," says Stefan Shynkorenko SAC vice president programming.

For the CSA Press Release please visit www.collegestrike.com

The Student Administrative Council at Sault College is composed of five elected representatives representing over 2,000 full-time students.

The CSA is an advocacy and service organisation, which currently represents 15 colleges and 22 student governments - with more than 100,000 full-time student members.

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