Students' Right to Organize
Over the past two years, there has been a growing number of incidents where college and university administrations have violated the autonomy of students' unions by freezing students' unions assets, refusing to transfer student levies, nullifying legally binding contracts, taking over student-run services, suspending students' union operations, and/or withdrawing insurance services for student occupied space.
Only two provinces currently have legislation that protects students' right to organize: British Columbia and Québec. Both Québec and British Columbia have strong legislation that protects the right of students to organize collectively through their campus students' union. These provinces protect students' rights to occupy space on campus, to democratically elect students for decision-making bodies, and to provide services run by and for students.
The Federation has been campaigning to enshrine all aspects of students' right to organize in legislation. In April 2011, MPP Yasir Naqvi and MPP Rosario Marchese tabled Bill 184, An Act respecting student associations at post-secondary institutions in Ontario, which would formally recognize college and university students' unions' legal right to exist as autonomous organizations from their respective administrations. The legislation borrowed heavily from Federation documents and draft pieces of legislation, and covered various aspects including students' unions right to their membership fees, transparency requirements and autonomy.
CFS-Ontario submission to the Ontario Post-Secondary Education Secretariat:
Our Bright Future: Student Engagement (May 2010)