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http://www.newsatniagara.com Dec. 8, 2006 Volume 37, Issue 4 See Page 28 The Best Way To Connect With Niagara SeeSee PagePage 3232 WWhere’shere’s Santa?Santa? Parade participants wave to the crowd at the Welland Christmas Parade. Photo by Kristen Coughlar Part-timers face ‘Third World conditions’ By MICHAEL SPECK Police Foundations students since 2003, says Courvette says his and other part- Staff Writer the Ontario government is irresponsible for time staff’s working conditions are Imagine employees with poor working allowing “Third World working conditions below industry standards. “I don’t conditions, no job security and no benefi ts. to persist in Ontario colleges” as a result have an offi ce. Students who talk to me Sound like a Third World sweatshop? of legislation banning part-time teachers have to do so in the hallway. Part-time Think again. from unionizing. teachers share computers and phones. According to Roger Courvette, a part- “You expect to hear the ILO ruling on the This greatly affects the quality of Index time teacher at Algonquin College in way companies treat workers in countries education.” Ottawa, these circumstances describe the like Indonesia and India. These workers It is time for full-time and part-time Columns pg 9 situation for part-time teachers in Ontario’s are a source of cheap labour, they have no college staff to be on the same level, colleges. Courvette is the fi rst president of job security, their working conditions are says Courvette. Christmas Pullout pg 11 the Organization of Part-time and Sessional abysmal and they have no benefi ts,” he said. “We, like every other worker in the Employees of Colleges of Applied Arts and “Like these workers, the 16,000 part-time world, have a right to be in a union. We Food/Recipes pg 14 Technology (OPESCAAT). college workers in Ontario’s community dare to complain in this world out of OPESCAAT was formed on Nov. 18 and colleges are a source of cheap labour: we fear of losing our jobs.” Noise@Niagara pg 23 Nov. 19 when delegates representing 16,000 have no job security, our working conditions OPESCAAT is beginning a faculty and support staff from Ontario’s 24 are abysmal and we have no benefi ts.” membership drive in 2007, and, Entertainment pg 24 colleges met, despite a government-imposed Courvette says the legislation banning Courvette says, he expects the initial ban on unionization. The week prior to the part-time teachers from unionizing is the response to be “overwhelmingly Sports pg 26 meeting the Geneva-based International Colleges Collective Bargaining (CCB) Act positive.” Labour Organization (ILO) ruled part-time of 1975. He says at the time there were so “We are very hopeful that we can Photos pg 28 workers have the legal right to bargain few part-time and support staff that the law address some of the indignities we are collectively and urged Ontario’s Dalton was “inconsequential.” facing.” McGuinty government to make legislative “We now have more part-time (16,000) OPESCAAT is planning a political changes so it can happen. than full-time (15,000) staff in Ontario’s campaign to change the current law to Courvette, who has been teaching English college system, so we’ve reached the tipping allow part-time staff to form a union. to Hospitality and Tourism, Part-Time and point,” he says. Continued on Page 2 Page 2, news@niagara, Dec. 8, 2006 Niagara campus size makes for unique experience By ROBYN HOPPER Patterson explains that when vis- says Patterson. The TIDC offers a range of Staff Writer itors come here they are “always It is at the base of the Niagara services dedicated to the Niagara Niagara College is unique. impressed” with the “unique cam- Escarpment, a World Biosphere region’s hospitality sector and President Dan Patterson says, puses’ locations and the different Reserve. It has a 202-bed residence tourism industry. “As a mid-size college we are big uniqueness that each has.” on campus. Patterson declares, “It is a enough to offer an interesting and He says the Welland campus The campus has 44 acres of great place for the college to do diversifi ed college experience, but “emphasizes community partner- vineyards and possesses Canada’s workplace training for hospitality we are small enough to care.” ship.” Examples include the $5- only teaching winery, which and tourism students.” The college has 6,300 full-time million Niagara Regional Police produces award-winning wines. He explains that in a recent series students and 13,500 students on a Service facility, the $14-million It also has the state-of-the-art of provincial meetings in which part-time basis. Welland YMCA, the Niagara Chil- Niagara College Greenhouse. It is college system representatives It has 230 faculty members, 193 dren’s Safety Village and the ball home to the Niagara Culinary Insti- visited the campuses, they’ve support staff and 75 administrative hockey rink.” tute with a 100-seat dining room. expressed being “envious of the staff members. “All are examples of links to The college’s third campus, the quality of life in the Niagara region He says faculty know their the community,” he adds. The Maid of the Mist, is in the heart of and the unique campus setting we students by name, and co- Welland campus also has a 231- Niagara Falls, a “tourism mecca,” have here.” ordinators are able to identify bed residence. says Patterson. “The beauty of the region is an which students need help. “All The Niagara-on-the-Lake cam- That campus is home to the added bonus in attracting students levels are involved in some way pus, which opened in 1998, is a Tourism Industry Development and staff to Niagara College as a Submitted photo directly with students.” “special and beautiful campus,” Centre (TIDC). place of choice.” DAN PATTERSON Part-time teachers to be ‘very active’ in He loves the camera upcoming provincial election Continued from page 1 “They went to school to get an education, just like “There is an election upcoming in October 2007, full-time staff did,” says Belcastro. and there are part-time college teachers in every Richard Piatowski, 19, of Welland, is a Computer riding in Ontario. We intend to be very active. We Programmer student. He says part-time teachers want to make this into a political issue. It could should not be allowed to unionize. be resolved very quickly if the CCB act would be “Part-time staff should have to put in the same repealed. We will be very present at the election.” amount of hours as full-time staff to be allowed to Lauren Belcastro, 19, of Welland, is a General unionize,” he says. Arts and Science program student at Niagara “Working conditions need to improve. Part-time College. She thinks part-time staff should have the teachers should know the curriculum better,” says Seven-year-old St. Catharines native Michael Helstrom poses for right to unionize. the computer programming student. a picture at the St. Catharines Santa Claus parade after asking, “Can I be in the paper?” Photo by Shawn Taylor Restart your Find the College education this January! Limited seats right fit! are available in these and other popular programs. • Automotive • Business • Computer Engineering • Culinary Management/Chef • Electrical/Electronics • General Arts and Sciences (Preparatory Studies) • Horticulture/Landscape/Greenhouse • Office Administration Call Lindsay Dekker at 905-735-2211 • Personal Support Worker ext. 7543 to discuss how we can help. • Police Foundations niagaracollege.ca/january • Tourism Management 62190090 news@niagara, Dec. 8, 2006, Page 3 Niagara students golden at marketing competition On Nov. 17 Niagara College won The competitors chosen for this four medals at the annual Ontario year’s team were Jason McCann, Colleges Marketing Competition Alicia Burke, Steve Peters, Matt in Ottawa. Parsons, Andrew Furry, Erica Kerr, Sixteen students from the Justin DeHaan, Joel Hannigan, two-year Sales and Marketing Luke Van Vliet, Alex Hooten, program and three-year Business Beth Paul, Rianna Reid, Beanne Administration–Marketing Cairnie, Sarah Silvestre and Tyson program competed in the two-day Dykman. marketing event. Both programs The Ontario Colleges Marketing are at the college’s Niagara-on-the- Competition is held annually to Lake campus. challenge marketing students Sarah Silvestre won fi rst place from across Ontario to show in the Quiz Bowl event. Erica their analytical and professional Kerr and Alex Hooten won a presentation abilities. bronze medal in the international Pett says, “The training is business case competition, and sometimes arduous and the Luke VanVliet and Beth Paul took competition is challenging, but home a bronze in the Integrated ultimately students benefi t from the Marketing Communications case. practice of presentation skills and the Teams of two or three were ability to think fast on their feet.” allowed just 30 minutes to analyze “The Niagara College School of and prepare a case study analysis. Business is committed to providing Following their analysis they our future business leaders with presented their recommendations this kind of real-world experience to a panel of judges. when they are participating in “The students were able to business scenarios and benefi ting solve business problems in from the judging and coaching of a very short time, presenting business professionals.” solutions with professionalism and Niagara College will sponsor the analytical fortitude. The results 2008 Ontario Colleges Marketing were impressive,” said Beth Competition when approximately Students from the two-year Sales and Marketing program and three-year Business Administration – Pett, Business Administration – 500 faculty and students will Marketing program at Niagara College recently competed in an annual marketing competition in Marketing program co-ordinator.