Nearly all classes are cancelled at York University after 3,400 contract faculty members, teaching and graduate assistants walked off the job just after midnight.

The university website reports that nearly all classes will be cancelled for the duration of the strike, with the exception of selected graduate programs, affecting the majority of York's 50,000 students.

All academic offices, however, will remain open for the duration of the strike.

The strike went into effect at 12:01 a.m. Thursday after members of CUPE 3903 rejected a final contract offer from the university.

Graham Potts, who is acting as chief negotiator for CUPE 3903, told CTV.ca that the union began picketing at the university at 7 a.m. on Thursday.

He said he was waiting to continue the negotiations that fell apart after his union rejected the “concessionary package” offered by the university.

“It didn't respect the quality or accessible education that we had sought to achieve in this round,” Potts said of the offer. “And it definitely didn't address anything with respect to job security for many of our members who have been teaching for 15, 20, or 25 years.” – Read More

This morning USA Presidential Candidate Barack Obama made his official vote with his wife and kids in toe.

Barack Obama stands strong as a likely candidate for the 2008 USA Presidential winner making waves and headlines all over the world.