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. While Full-Time Support Staff may not be our professors, their work is undoubtedly essential to the everyday operations of our college. Their absence will echo through our hallways and classrooms because their work is fundamental. Disruptions to students’ education are to be expected.
The Student Association of George Brown College (SAGBC) is disappointed with the College Employer Council (CEC) for their failure to negotiate an appropriate new agreement with OPSEU. At SAGBC, we stand in solidarity with the workers who are on strike.
To our students, this is a reminder not to place blame on these support staff. Their work is crucial to our education, and they reserve the right to fight for their wages. The only ones at fault here are the CEC, who have once again failed our support staff.
In CEC’s September 3rd, 2025, bargaining update, they repeatedly use language that pins the negotiation failure on OPSEU’s demands. CEC claims that OPSEU’s demands are “unreasonable” and “are simply out of touch with the realities of the situation”.
Additionally, CEC insists that they have been engaging in negotiations that attempt to meet OPSEU’s demands halfway. However, just by looking at the numbers, what CEC is offering in their agreement is less than 50% of what OPSEU is demanding. Not to mention, CEC continues to dismiss OPSEU’s very serious goal of job security. Suggesting that their demands were made with little regard to the decline of Ontario’s Post-Secondary Education system.
The truth is that the current state of our system is a result of the Ontario Government’s unwillingness to fund education to an appropriate level.
Meanwhile, the Ontario Government continues to divert funds into privatized sectors. Taking resources away from public services while claiming buzzwords like “sustainability” or saying they are doing this for the people.
How is divesting in the public sector serving citizens?
Workers have the right to present demands that they see fit in this current cost-of-living crisis. Their demands are not unreasonable; they are a product of systemic defunding of education, job insecurity, and the threat of AI technology. CEC’s unwillingness to compromise, evident as per their statement, reflects how our system values our workers. By refusing to engage in meaningful negotiations with OPSEU, CEC are the one placing students’ education at risk. Not the staff.
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.
In solidarity with OPSEU, SAGBC Student Spaces at Casa Loma and St James will be open to picketers for the duration of the strike. Ultimately, we encourage the College Employer Counsel (CEC) and the Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU) to come to a favourable agreement.
Endorsed by The Board of Directors of the Student Association of George Brown College.