Support Staff Strike Begins at Ontario Colleges, Students Warned of Delays

Photo: Sean Kilpatrick

A major strike has started across Ontario colleges, including Algonquin College in Ottawa, after talks between the workers’ union and the College Employer Council failed to reach an agreement. The strike, which began at midnight on Thursday, involves around 10,000 full-time college support staff.

Why the Strike Started

The strike was called by the Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU). The union says its members are asking for better wages, stronger job security, and improved benefits. Union leaders explained that many support staff jobs have already been lost across the college system this year, and more than 650 programs across the province have been cut.

Christine Kelsey, chair of the College Support Full-Time Bargaining Team, said in a statement that job security is the most important issue. She warned that colleges are already “plunged into chaos” and argued that protecting support jobs is key to protecting students’ learning experience.

What the Colleges Offered

The College Employer Council, which represents the colleges, said its contract offer included:

A 2% wage increase every year of the contract

Higher on-call and shift premiums

A 50% increase in severance pay

A guaranteed right for employees to “disconnect from work”

Despite this, the union said the colleges’ bargaining team walked away from the table before the deadline, leaving no deal in place.

Impact on Students and Campuses

Algonquin College President Claude Brulé told students that classes will continue as planned, unless otherwise announced. However, he warned that services may be disrupted. Areas most likely to be affected include:

Administrative support

Front-line services

Facilities operations

Brulé also noted that picket lines will be set up at the Ottawa and Pembroke campuses. Students, staff, and faculty should prepare for delays when entering campus.

In his message, Brulé said, “We deeply value the contributions of our support staff and respect their right to participate in this legal process. Our priority is to continue supporting our students and employees while maintaining a respectful, safe, and inclusive campus environment.”

What This Means for Ontario’s College System

The strike highlights a larger problem across Ontario colleges. Thousands of jobs have already been lost, and many academic programs have been cut. For support staff, this means more uncertainty about whether their work will continue. For students, it means potential delays, fewer services, and a more stressful learning environment.

The union says it is fighting not only for workers but also for students, arguing that without stable support staff, colleges cannot provide the services students need to succeed.

Both sides remain far apart, and there is no clear sign of when negotiations might resume. The strike is legal and could last until a new agreement is reached. Until then, students will need to adapt to longer wait times, reduced services, and ongoing picket lines at college entrances.

For now, classes at Algonquin and other Ontario colleges continue, but the strike has created tension and uncertainty. The outcome will shape not only the future of support staff but also the quality of education and services for students across the province.