The union behind a two-month strike at York University says it is a waste of time to make members vote on a deal they have already rejected.
Tyler Shipley said Monday that students are the ones who are being punished now that the university has walked away from the bargaining table to force a vote.
"It's so disappointing, so frustrating, last week we really felt like a settlement was getting closer," he said in an interview with CTV Toronto. "For York to walk away from the table at this point, it's frustrating."
Members of CUPE 3903, representing about 3,300 contract faculty and teaching assistants, have one week to decide whether they will accept the university's latest deal.
According to the York University website, the latest offer included 22 new full-time faculty positions as well as various benefit and funding improvements. It also included a three-year wage increase of 9.25 per cent that had been included in previous offers.
However, 90 per cent of union members who attended a Thursday night meeting voted to send their representatives back into negotiations with the university.
The union has continued to emphasize that job security is one of their major concerns.
Talks between the union and the administration have been put on hold until the vote is complete but in the meantime, students at the school say their needs are not being looked after.
"It's all very angering," said student Victoria Barrnett. "(Finding a resolution) is the responsibility of the administration. We pay our fees to them. They are the ones we have the contract with at school. It's their responsibility to follow through with that and they haven't."
With a report from CTV Toronto's Dana Levenson
