Part-time professors at University of Ottawa on strike

Bells rang and chants filled part of Cumberland Street this morning. Part-time professors took to the picket line, marking their first day of action. The strike began Saturday after negotiations with the University of Ottawa remained at an impasse. We've come up to a point where we feel the administration is not understanding our value and is not reflecting the value of our work in our contract, which has been overdue since August 2025. The Association of Teaching Professors of the University of Ottawa represents 2,500 teaching staff The union said it had concerns with the university's proposals. It cited increasing class sizes, AI's threat to academic freedom, part-time professors being excluded from the university's board of governors, and lack of parity in extended health benefits. It would be fair if the hours we work are the hours we're paid, and then that would allow for health benefits, right? We don't have dental, we don't have glasses. And all we do is write and teach and talk, and none of this is clean. Several classes have now been cancelled for the duration of this labour dispute, and that's a problem for many students working to complete their courses. Despite the strike's impact on them, many students still came out to support their teachers. The parliament's right next door. I'm studying political science. And it's so unfortunate to see that our university doesn't care enough to pay for our part-time professors. And it makes me wonder how much they care about my education, too. I'm on the last legs of my program. I have limited time left. I just want to finish this. I want to be able to graduate on time. In a statement, the university said, It regrets the disruption and any added stress the strike may cause. It says all courses not taught by striking part-time professors will continue and that students who are affected may be able to access alternate courses. Chuck Tinte, CBC News, Ottawa.