Laurentian students hitting picket lines in support of striking university professors
Students carrying placards, raising voices alongside instructors
As the professors' strike at Laurentian University stretches into its sixth day, several dozen students joined faculty members on the picket line at the main campus on Ramsey Lake Road, carrying placards and raising their voices at passing vehicles.
At the McEwen School of Architecture downtown, students have also built a sculpture in support of LUFA, the professors' union.
The support is welcome, said LUFA president James Ketchen, and completely of the students' own planning. He doesn't think professors or administration are going out of their way to influence students' opinions during the strike.
"Is there a little bit of a competition....to win the hearts and minds of the students? No, I don't think so," Ketchen said.
Laurentian student Harrison Lane says there's a big reason why he's backing the professors.
"It's an act of solidarity with the profs who at the end of the day just want to teach us and we just want to learn," Lane said.
"The administration walked away from the table at the 11th hour of the negotiations."
Laurentian administration has said both sides walked away from the bargaining table last week, however the university tabled a new offer over the weekend.
Both sides have said the new offer will get them back to the bargaining table as early as today.
With files from Erik White