This is a big weekend for half a million Ontario college students.

MPP's will debate back to work legislation on Saturday and Sunday end the record long five-week strike at 24 colleges across the province.

At St. Clair College, many of the 10,000 students are hoping to be back in class next week. But none of the 330 faculty members at St. Clair were on the picket lines on Friday.

Bernie Nawrocki, the President of OPSEU local 138 at St. Clair College, maintains the best deal is a bartered deal.

“It would have been sweet if we had a negotiated deal,” says Nawrocki. “Faculty do want to be back in the classroom with students, that's what we're all about."

Local New Democrat MPP’s are not supporting back to work legislation. The Liberals want unanimous support, but because they have a majority, the legislation will eventually pass.

“We're not stalling the return to school,” insists Essex NDP MPP Taras Natyshak. “What we are doing is ensuring that this bill as a function of the legislature sees proper debate."

Natyshak criticizes the Kathleen Wynne government for taking so long to intervene in the strike by 12,000 faculty at Ontario’s 24 colleges.

“This is a disaster they created,” says Natyshak. “It's been on her watch, she could have been involved in this five weeks ago. She should have been at the table asking about what she could have done and could do to support the bargaining process."

The bargaining team for the College Employer Council released some details about what prompted a break in talks, suggesting the union tabled demands for a $5,000 bonus for each striking member to return to work.

“I believe our team was asking for compensation regarding the additional two weeks created by the council to conduct this vote, but I don't think it's anywhere near $5000” says Nawrocki.

Premier Wynne had asked the colleges and the union to return to the bargaining table Thursday after workers voted 86 per cent to reject a contract offer, but within several hours the two sides reached an impasse when they could not agree to binding arbitration.

OPSEU had recommended the colleges' contract proposal be rejected.

The colleges have said the offer included a 7.75 per cent salary increase over four years, improved benefits and measures to address concerns regarding part-time faculty, with language surrounding academic freedom remaining as the only major outstanding issue.

But the union said the offer contained "serious concessions" that were not agreed to, which would erode faculty rights and contribute to an unsustainable staffing model.

Under the proposed back-to-work legislation, the strike would end and all outstanding issues would be referred to binding mediation-arbitration.

The provincial government has ordered the colleges to create a fund -- using savings from the strike -- to help students who may be experiencing financial hardship because of the labour dispute. It’s estimated Ontario's colleges have saved about $5 million so far.

Law firm Charney Lawyers filed a proposed class action against the 24 colleges Tuesday, saying 14 students have come forward to potentially stand as representative plaintiffs.

The notice of action alleges the colleges breached contracts with students by failing to provide vocational training and a full term of classes. It seeks full refunds for students who choose not to continue with their programs and refunds "equivalent to the value of the lost instruction" for students who do want to continue.

With files from the Canadian Press