Conestoga students rally as faculty strike enters 5th week

Students from different programs and academicyears who had gathered at the entrance of Conestoga College and Homer Watson Blvd Monday received supports in the form of honks from vehicles passing by.

Conestoga College students rallied in front of Doon Campus in Kitchenerin the hope their opinions and voices areheard in the faculty strike, which has entered its fifth week.

Co-organizer Justin McLaughlin, who is a third year business administration management student, saysstudents don't want to take sides in the dispute but are tired of the blame game that has been played out in the media.

"Ultimately students need their education because that's what they're there for," said Mclaughlin. "We want to be back in the classroom, we don't want to be suffering right now like we are."

'I'm kind of disappointed'

Claudia Ibarra is an international student enrolled in the renewable energy techniques program. She hasn't evenstepped into the classroom to be taught, as the strike began once she arrived to Canada from Mexico.

Ibarra, like all international students, paid a hefty price to study at Conestoga.

Since coming to Canada for the one year program she has been at the college taking part in activities set out for international students including English language classes.

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"I'm kind of disappointed because I didn't pay $14,000 to go on strike tolearn nothing," saidIbarra.
"I want to come here to Canada to work, study...to get better."

The Ontario Labour Relations Board has scheduled a vote on the latest contract offer from Tuesday to Thursday this week.

Listen to the students concerns in the audio below: