Students at Fanshawe College may have to deal with a second strike this year.

Currently the Ontario Public Service Employees Union — which represents college instructors — will vote on Jan. 13 to decide whether or not to strike.

“[Members] understand these are important issues,” Tom Montgomery, chair of the faculty bargaining team for OPESU, explained.

According to Montgomery, the largest issues in the negotiations are academic freedom for college instructors and workload.

“Unfortunately the parties are too far apart,” Don Sinclair, executive director for the Colleges Compensation and Appointments Council — the organization which represents colleges across Ontario — said.

The CCAC estimated the changes the union wants would cost $218 million.

“A vote for a strike doesn’t give the colleges any more money,” Sinclair responded. He also explained the current pay scale, which was implemented on Nov. 18, includes an eight per cent increase over the next four years and several changes to the current workload.

However, Montgomery felt these terms were imposed on the union, after which the CCAC broke off negotiations. According to Sinclair, three meetings have been held since then, with no progress made.

“Solutions need to be practical and affordable,” Sinclair said.

Montgomery also felt money was part of the problem, specifically relating to academic freedom.

“It’s about who’s going to decide what gets taught, the bean counters or the teachers,” Montgomery said. He explained most schools now choose what is taught based on programs which make money, as opposed to instructors choosing the courses or materials.

According to Montgomery, there have been three other strikes held by college instructors with the most recent one in March 2006. The average length of the strikes was three weeks.

“Students never lost their year,” he explained, “We would expect that to continue.”

Students however, are left to worry about what will happen if there is a strike.

“Any time there’s a work stoppage, students typically get the short end of the stick,” Jabari Cooper, president of the Fanshawe Student Union, said. He specifically made reference to students who would have to skip breaks and extend leases.

Cooper was also concerned about graduating students: “Everybody’s a bit worried right now, nobody knows what’s going to happen.”

“We’re ready to go back to the table if the union is willing to bargain to our position,” Sinclair said.

There are no further meetings scheduled between now and the strike vote.