2025 Bargaining Information

Sept. 25 Update: both sides have agreed to mediation

Dear GBC Community, 

We are encouraged to share that the parties have now agreed to mediation, which is scheduled to begin this Friday, September 26, 2025. While we know this has been a challenging time, mediation represents a constructive step forward, and we are hopeful it will help both sides move closer to an agreement. 

Background

“After twenty one full days of bargaining, we have yet to reach an agreement that meets our members’ top-line priority: job security,” said Christine Kelsey, chair of the full-time support bargaining team, and an assistive technologist at Algonquin College that has worked for 20 years supporting students with disabilities. “The future of our work is the future of student support on college campuses.  After the strain that devastating job cuts have put on those supports, we need some guarantee that we can protect what’s left so students don’t fall through the cracks.”
“For over 19 months, part-time support staff have been forced to work under an expired contract by an employer that is refusing to bargain,” said Sara McArthur Timofejew, a program support officer at Mohawk College and chair of the part-time support staff bargaining team. “We’ve been fighting for bottom-line items like paid sick days and a livable wage increase for a workforce that mostly makes minimum wage. It’s clear that we need to take this next step to bring serious negotiations back to the table.”

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On Sept. 11, full-time support staff went on strike, at colleges across the province.

OPSEU and the CEC remained at the bargaining table, with a new offer being made not long before the strike began.
After a vote was held, 77% of support staff voted in favour of strike action if necessary.
On Sept. 1, 2025, the union representing staff gave their notice of intent to strike; this comes after receiving a No Board report. The earliest the strike could commence would be Sept. 11, 2025 at 12:01 a.m.
Currently the College Employer Council (CEC) and Union representing the more than 23,000 college faculty are still negotiating and the hopes are that they will remain at the table until a deal can be reached.
We understand your concerns as students and recognize that any potential labour action by Support Staff can have a negative impact on your academic experience. We can’t resolve the issues, but we can help you understand how it affects you.

LEARN MORE – STRIKE UPDATES

To learn how a strike can affect your classes, exams, and access to Student Association services,

A message from the SA Board of Directors

On September 11, 2025, at 12:01 AM, the Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU), representing Full-Time Support Staff at all 24 Public Colleges across the province, went on strike.

As a student union, SAGBC will stand alongside our students as we navigate this strike. We will continue to provide services and support for our students. Students who are interested in showing solidarity can call or email their respective MPPs to demand intervention. We also ask that students treat individuals at the picket line with respect and kindness.

Ultimately, we encourage the College Employer Counsel (CEC) and the Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU) to come to a favourable agreement.

To read the full statement, Click Here

What happens next?

CAAT- FTSS staff are on strike until a deal can be reached, or other parties take action to stop the strike; this may include parties such as the provincial government who can legislate that both sides return to the bargaining table.

For more information, visit Support Staff Strike: Updates & FAQ | George Brown College

The Student Association of George Brown College will remain open during the strike with some limitations. Please check here for the most up to date information on SAGBC services. 

Above all, remember that we are part of one GBC community. Let’s continue to treat one another with respect during this time.