Full-time support staff at Ontario’s 24 public colleges, including Durham College, could walk off the job this Thursday at midnight if a contract isn’t reached.
The Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU), which represents full-time support staff such as student advisors, clerks, technologists and facilities staff, issued a legal strike notice earlier this month after talks with the College Employer Council (CEC) stalled.
However, negotiations are expected to continue today and tomorrow.
Jean Choi, vice-president, Academic, said should a strike occur, some services, including student services, admissions, technical support, facilities and other administrative operations, may be slower or experience disruption.
“In the event of a strike, DC will remain open.” – Jean Choi, vice-president, Academic
“Classes, activities, and academic programming will continue,” she said in an email. “DC has contingency plans in place to ensure students are supported, and our priority is to minimize any disruption to students’ experience.”
Faculty, part-time academic employees and part-time support staff are not in a legal strike position. However, OPSEU is encouraging these members not to cross the picket line in the event of a strike, including not teaching classes.
Durham College sent an email to those employees today reinforcing that their collective agreement and the Colleges’ Collective Bargaining Act “prohibit a strike or strike activity unless you are in a lawful position to strike, which you are not.”
The current agreement expired Aug. 31. OPSEU says members are fighting for job security, including limits on contracting out, protections against “technological advances such as artificial intelligence,” and campus closures or staffing cuts.
The union wants improvements to dental, vision and gender-affirmation benefits, along with wage increases of $1.75 an hour in the first year and four per cent annually in years two and three, according to an OPSEU bargaining update from Aug. 30.
In the update, the union said the negotiations are focused on “tenable futures.”
It said what is secured at the bargaining table “will define our members’ financial security, and what student supports are available on campuses, for years to come.”
In a statement, the College Employer Council (CEC), which bargains on behalf of Ontario’s public colleges, argued some of the union’s demands are unrealistic, calling them “poison pills” that threaten the sustainability of the system.
CEO Graham Lloyd said OPSEU’s position goes “far beyond the scope of collective bargaining.”
“No organization managing a drop like this can commit to these out-of-touch demands,” Lloyd said, pointing to enrolment and revenues “falling by as much as 50 per cent.”
The council says it has already offered $140 million in wages, benefits and job security.
According to Durham College’s bargaining updates page, job action could include work-to-rule, a partial walk-out, rotating strikes or a full work stoppage.
If there is a strike, full-time support staff are expected to picket around campus, which may cause delays coming to and from the college.
A complete list of service impacts will be made available on the bargaining updates webpage.