Ontario Community College Support Staff Begin Strike

Workers in the registration and financial aid offices are among the 231 college staff on the picket lines. (Dale Molnar/CBC)

Over 8,000 college support workers from Ontario’s 24 community colleges walked off the job effective 12:01 a.m. September 1st.

The Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU) claims they’ve been stymied by “unwillingness by management to withdraw several demands for concessions and claw backs to its existing contract – and its reluctance to negotiate many of the union’s proposals.”

The bargaining team received a 77 per cent strike vote back in July, and now picket lines will be seen on more than 100 campuses across Ontario.

“We tried to reach an accommodation with management negotiators but it became very clear as we approached the strike deadline that they were not prepared to meet us on terms we could accept,” said Rod Bemister, chair of the bargaining committee for the Ontario Public Service Employees Union.

On the other side of the line, the strike has been called “unnecessary” by Ontario’s colleges and their bargaining representatives.

“The colleges have provided a good offer that increases the average salary for support staff to more than $59,000 with no concessions. We had hoped to reach a settlement but, unfortunately, the union is striking over wage and benefit demands that the colleges simply cannot afford,” said Gerry Barker, chair of the colleges’ bargaining team.

He added, “OPSEU should focus on what is best for students and reconsider the colleges’ offer.”