A strike has been underway as of 12:01 a.m. on Thursday, Sept. 11, 2025.

No one can predict how long a work stoppage will last but the last two strikes in the college sector each lasted for several weeks. The college have established Contingency plans to support our students and minimize disruptions by moving many of our classes and services online. Please check your Stu-view account for more information on your classes schedules and locations.   

Labs will continue to run in-person when possible. Labs that rely on support staff are paused, including the following:

• The Chefs’ House
• GBC Cafe
• George Brown child care centres, except before and after-care

A strike can be any of the following:

• Work-to-rule, partial walk-out, rotating strike, and full walk-out.
  • In work-to-rule, employees perform only the duties that have been assigned, strictly adhering to policy and contract obligations.
  • In a partial walk-out, employees refuse to perform some of their assigned duties.
  • In a rotating strike, employees walk out entirely for short periods of time at different institutions.
  • In a full walk-out strike, employees withdraw all their services and choose to walk the picket line.

All campus locations will remain open to provide students with services.  A list of services available is posted on georgebrown.ca/labournegotiations.

All campus locations will remain open to provide students with services.

There will be no change to any Student Association programming as services remain open and available to students, contact a service for more information at StudentAssociation.ca

• A referendum by union members deciding whether or not to go on strike. An affirmative strike vote authorizes union leadership to give strike notice.
• This is called a strike mandate.
• A strike vote of College Employees is supervised by the Ontario Labour Relations Board.
• The vote will be decided by a 50% + 1 majority of those who cast their vote. If only a few people vote, those voters will decide this question for everyone across the province.

Like mediation, conciliation is a voluntary, flexible, confidential, and interest-based process. The parties seek to reach a settlement with the assistance of the conciliator, appointed by the Ministry of Labour which acts as a neutral third party.

• After a strike vote, if 50% +1 of those who vote, vote yes, then the union bargaining team receives a strike mandate.
• A strike mandate is necessary for the union to go on strike.

• A strike may take different forms. In general, it is a refusal to work in the normal way that is designed to slow down, disrupt, or stop operations. A strike is organized by a Union as a form of protest typically in an attempt to force the employer to agree to their demands.
• Unfortunately, in the Colleges, when a faculty member chooses to apply pressure by slowing down, disrupting or stopping work, these actions lead to varying degrees of negative impact on students.

• Work-to-rule, partial walk-out, rotating strike, and full walk-out are all forms of strike.
  • In work-to-rule, employees perform only the duties that have been assigned, strictly adhering to policy and contract obligations.
  • In a partial walk-out, employees refuse to perform some of their assigned duties.
  • In a rotating strike, employees walk out entirely for short periods of time at different institutions.
  • In a full walk-out strike, employees withdraw all their services and choose to walk the picket line.

• Labour action does mean strike. Strike action can take various forms, which include: work-to-rule, partial walk-out, rotating strike, all the way up to a full walk out.
• Only the Union can determine what forms of strike action will occur and when.

• The Colleges cannot force faculty to go on strike.
• Only the Union team can determine what form of strike action it engages in (work-to-rule, partial walk-out, rotating strikes, walk-out).

• They can last for a day or for an extended period of time.
• In 2017, the Union engaged in a full walk-out strike that lasted for more than 5 weeks. Students were still able to complete their semester.

• Yes, campuses have always remained open during strikes .
• When picket lines occur, picketers cannot prevent access to those looking to enter campus.
• In the event of a full walk-out which includes picket lines, information will be provided by your College on how to safely access campus.

• There is the potential a semester could be interrupted and/or extended if the union decides to go on strike.
• However, if the semester is impacted, Colleges will do everything possible to ensure that all students have the opportunity to complete the semester.

• Go to your College website for updates on the labour dispute.
• If you plan to visit campus, leave extra time for travelling to the college as picket lines may be set up at campus entrances and limit traffic flow.
• If there is a full walk-out strike and you take transit to campus, be aware that transit buses will drop students off outside of the campus to respect picket lines.

• The CEC website contains information on the bargaining process and an ongoing archive of proposals from both parties.
• Additionally, all news updates are published across CEC social media channels and the website.
• Please visit www.CollegeEmployerCouncil.ca or follow the CEC on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn.

Currently, no information is available. This will be updated once the college releases information.

The SAGBC is currently working on plans for students should a strike take place. We will continue to provide updates once a plan is in place.