Part-time support workers at Ontario’s 24 colleges will hold a strike vote next week, as thousands of full-time workers continue their fourth week on the picket lines.
About 10,000 part-time staff are represented by the Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU). The union says these workers have been without a contract for nearly two years.
On September 1, the bargaining team told the College Employer Council (CEC) that they would be holding a strike vote to push colleges to return to the bargaining table and negotiate in good faith. The vote will take place between October 14 and 17.
Dave Strutton, a part-time steward at Conestoga College, said key issues include paid sick days and standardized job descriptions for part-time roles. Without clear job descriptions, he said, managers can add extra duties during a contract term.
“People in these positions often end up working more hours than they’re supposed to, sometimes up to 35 hours a week,” he said.
Strutton also said some part-time workers have been asked to take on tasks normally done by full-time staff during the strike. He added that some managers have tried to change shifts or hours without giving the required two weeks’ notice.
Labour experts say the strike vote represents a major escalation in the ongoing labour dispute between the union and Ontario’s colleges. If part-time workers join the full-time staff on strike, it could put added pressure on both the College Employer Council and the provincial government to reach a deal.
