York’s 3,340 teaching assistants, contract faculty and graduate assistants are the highest paid in Canada. But they say that it’s not about the money, it’s about job security. The reality is that job security belonged to a time when “Leave it to Beaver” was the top rated program on television. Why should York University teaching assistants, contract faculty and graduate assistants have any more job security than the rest of the population who lives in the real world?

How many people do you know who would turn down an offer of a 9.25% wage increase over three years with improved benefits and job security? Most people in the real world are hoping not to get laid off, let alone dreaming of wage increases. York University strikers did turn down the offer in the latest vote which was requested by the university and conducted by the Ontario Ministry of Labour. Quite frankly I was surprised to read that only 69% of the union members turned out to vote. The offer was rejected by 61% of teaching assistants, 59.3% of contract faculty, and 70% of graduate assistants.

The strike has had a serious impact on the number of students applying to York. In fact there is a 15% decrease in applications from high school students making the school their first pick since the last year and a 10% decrease in applications over all. Ryerson and University of Toronto have been the biggest winners in the applications war. Perhaps now that York will have fewer students it will require fewer teaching assistants, contract faculty and graduate assistants and instead of increases and better benefits and job security, they will have to accept lay-offs that they brought on themselves. Poetic justice, don’t you think? But, what of the students?