Ontario college support workers up strike action after employer talks break down

Thousands of striking Ontario college support workers are escalating their strike action by gathering at six colleges across the province this morning after talks with their employer broke down on Monday.

Humber College (North Campus, Toronto), Mohawk College (Hamilton), Algonquin College (Ottawa), St. Clair College (Windsor), Georgian College (Orillia Campus) and Collège Boréal (Sudbury) are the planned key rally locations.

Workers from Conestoga, Sheridan and Niagara colleges will be joining support staff at Mohawk College to march.

Around 10,000 workers at 24 colleges walked off the job Sept. 11. The strike action includes library techs, facilities and trades workers, as well as staff in the financial aid and registrar offices.

Earlier this week the employer and college presidents declared an impasse “after refusing any job security language that would clear the path to a settlement and end the strike,” read a statement from the union, OPSEU/SEFPO.

“The strike … comes amidst one of the largest mass layoffs in the province’s history where 10,000 college workers have already been laid off,  hundreds of programs have been suspended or canceled, and new campus closures announced as recently as last Friday,” the statement added.

The union says students, faculty and “labour allies” will also be in attendance at the rallies to “demand that the employer negotiate a contract that saves jobs and protects student supports.”

The College Employer Council expressed “deep frustration” after the union tabled a proposal banning outsourcing work unless approved by the union and restrictions on collaborative work.

The council says they’ve tabled enhanced offers over $155 million.

Mohawk College announced at 8:29 a.m. that on-campus classes will be conducted online. The announcement added that employees should work remotely. The college said that all other campuses remain open and they are monitoring the situation.

St. Clair College cancelled classes at its south Windsor campus due to safety cautions.

Algonquin College warned the public that road access to its Ottawa campus might be delayed or blocked due to support staff picketing.

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