With 1,700 support staff on strike, McGill University is apologizing to its students for a rough start to the school year.
"We're very sorry for this no one wants a strike, we certainly don't want a strike, we're sorry if it has had an impact on (students) in any way," said Michael Di Grappa, McGill's vice-president of administration and finance.
The strike, which began Sept. 1 after negotiation talks broke down, has seen many student offices and libraries open at reduced hours or close altogether.
First-year music student Bruno Roy expressed some frustrations.
"It's very hard to sign up for a course when there's no staff to help you out, and very hard to get a locker when there's no staff to sign you up for a locker. It's very hard to photocopy stuff when there's no paper in the photocopy machine," said Roy.
Contract negotiations began last December – McGill has offered a 1.2 per cent yearly raise to its non-academic workers, which is equivalent to Quebec's public sector employees.
"We laugh at it, because if there's enough money to make renovations of $2 million for conference rooms and offices, then they have enough money somewhere," said Elena Bouchard, student affairs coordinator.
Di Grappa argues money is scarce and that cash for maintenance comes from a budget separate from salaries
"McGill is sitting with an accumulated deficit of some $100 million and is forecasting a deficit this year of $6 million," he said
McGill and its union have meetings booked with a mediator through to Oct. 26, though both sides say they hope to reach an agreement sooner.
"We've been in negotiations with McGill since January of this year, and we've been meeting with them regularly and until this summer (when) we hit a brick wall," said Union President Kevin Whittaker.
