Unions work in the best interest of the members they represent. When a collective agreement between an employer and employees expires, it’s up to management and the union representatives to reach a deal for a new contract.
Labour action in Ontario’s post-secondary education system can happen and it’s best to be prepared. See below to learn about labour action terms, a general strike FAQ, and more.
Key terms
College Employer Council (CEC) – The College Employer Council (CEC) is the bargaining arm of 24 Ontario colleges. They are responsible for representing the interests of the college through the bargaining process. Negotiations are between a union of over 15,000 faculty members at colleges across Ontario and the CEC, which represents the employers.
College of Applied Art and Technology, Full time Support Staff (CAAT-FTSS) – CAAT-FTSS is the bargaining arm of the union, which represents the full-time support staff.
OPSEU – The Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU) is the union which represents public service employees in Ontario. Among the workers OPSEU represents are college professors, librarians and counsellors in Ontario. CAAT-FTSS is a part of OPSEU, but refers specifically to the negotiating party involved in developing the new collective agreement.
Collective Agreement – The agreement between the employer (CEC) and the union (CAAT-FTSS). The previous collective agreement expired in August 2025.
Strike Vote – A Strike Vote – often referred to as a Strike Authorization Vote – is a vote that must pass before labour action can be enacted.
Work-to-rule – Work-to-rule is a form of labour action in which the members of the union will do no more than the bare minimum required as outlined by their job description. . The full extent of how this will affect GBC students is not yet known, but it will likely mean delayed response times from professors and less access outside of office hours.
Binding Interest Arbitration – A mediation strategy proposed by CAAT-FTSS. This process would involve a third party arbitrator reviewing each side’s demands and coming up with a compromise between them. Both sides would then be locked into what the arbitrator decides. CAAT-FTSS offered this resolution strategy but the CEC declined it.
Final Offer Selection – Similar to binding interest arbitration, final offer selection is a resolution process in which a neutral third party is brought in. It differs from binding interest arbitration in that instead of the mediator compromising the demands of both parties, they will only select one set of demands in its entirety. This method was endorsed by the CEC but CAAT-FTSS did not agree to it.
General Strike FAQ
- 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.
- 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.
Full-time support staff are currently in a full walk-out strike
- 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).
- A strike can last for an undetermined amount 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.
All campuses are currently open and services are running in limited capacity. Visit Support Staff Strike: Updates & FAQ | George Brown College for more info.