Transit Windsor drivers refused to drive their buses across union picket lines at two entrances to St. Clair College Tuesday, forcing students to walk the last few hundred metres to school.
Students said drivers informed everyone of their decision to support striking members of the Ontario Public Services Employees Union (OPSEU) as they approached the college.
First-year dental-assistant student Cassandra Sheppy Seckage said students were not impressed by the drivers' decision.
"Everybody was kind of mad. But we just all got off and tried to find our way there," she said.
"Some people were waiting to get to the back of the school, which is really the same distance, so it really didn't matter."
Tuesday marked the first day of class at St. Clair College, and Day 6 of a province-wide strike by support staff represented by OPSEU at 24 colleges in Ontario.
There are no talks planned to end the strike any time soon.
Florry Foster, who leads the local representing 230 striking employees at St. Clair College in Windsor and Chatham, said the union is ready to return to bargaining at any time.
Until such time, Foster remains optimistic.
"The morale is up. Obviously it's early into the stage. We think that the students coming to school is going to have a huge impact in making management get back to the table," Foster said.
"It's not where we want to be, and I think the media out there is putting out [that] it's about the money. It's not about the money; it's about good jobs today, good jobs for tomorrow."
Approximately 8,000 support staff are on strike across Ontario.
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