It’s week five of the college faculty strike, the longest one in history. Tuesday, online voting will open for teachers to accept or decline the college’s offer.

The colleges say this offer gives faculty everything they asked for; more full time positions, increased pay and job security for contract faculty, except academic freedom, which would give teachers more control over what happens in their classrooms.

The union has urged faculty to vote no on this offer. Mohawk College President Ron McKerlie says they need faculty back to work as soon as possible if students are to complete their year. He says just because students have never lost a year due to a strike before, that doesn’t mean the same will happen this time.

“If they vote yes on this vote, the faculty will be back to work on Friday and the students could be back to work as soon as Tuesday and then we will work had to make sure they get their year.”

Faculty will have from Tuesday morning until Thursday morning to vote.

Because of this strike, Mohawk students will only have one week of Christmas holidays. If the teacher vote no, then its back to the bargaining table again. The colleges say the province has given them no indication that they will step in just yet.