Faculty at Ontario’s 24 public colleges support strike mandate

The union representing faculty at Ontario’s 24 public colleges says its members have delivered a strong strike mandate.

The Ontario Public Service Employees Union’s says 79 per cent of those who participated in the vote supported a strike mandate, with 76 per cent of members casting a ballot.

The union, which represents some 15,000 professors, instructors, librarians and counsellors, says workload and job precarity are among the key issues at bargaining.

OPSEU says it remains hopeful a contract can be negotiated with the College Employer Council.

The council says it has offered to engage in mediation-interest arbitration, and that any kind of strike is “unnecessary.”

The union’s contract expired on Oct. 1 and the parties have since held two days of conciliation talks.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 19, 2024.