Support staff at Ontario colleges began striking Thursday morning after contract negotiations broke down before a midnight deadline. The strike will disrupt student services and may delay some labs that depend on support staff, but classes are expected to continue as scheduled since faculty are not participating in the strike.

The Ontario Public Service Employees’ Union (OPSEU), representing about 10,000 college members, announced the strike, emphasizing the need for quality services provided by in-house support staff. “Students deserve quality services kept in-house — not contracted out — and done by the support staff who know how to do the job and have institutional knowledge,” the union stated.

At Humber North College, striking staff and their supporters, including student workers and faculty, marched along Humber College Boulevard. They carried signs with messages like “On Strike to Save Jobs!” and “Cut the Profits Not the Wages!” Some picketers blocked intersections, causing traffic delays as students attempted to reach campus. Despite the congestion, some drivers expressed support by honking their horns.

“This is a watershed moment,” OPSEU President JP Hornick said at a press conference outside Humber. “This fight touches all of us. We’re the college community—support staff, faculty, students, and allies all together. Because without us, you cut the heart out of education.”

The union is advocating for job security amid significant financial challenges facing colleges, which have resulted in layoffs, program cuts, and campus closures across Ontario. Graham Lloyd, CEO of the College Employer Council, expressed disappointment that a deal was not reached, stating that the union's demands included “poison pills,” such as guarantees against job losses, which the council could not accept.

Lloyd noted that colleges are experiencing a decline in enrolments and revenues, with some institutions reporting drops of up to 50 percent. He argued that OPSEU's demands are financially unfeasible, stating, “Asking for a complete ban on campus closures, college mergers, and staff reductions could force colleges into bankruptcy.”

Colleges have been particularly affected by federal cuts to international student enrollment, which has historically provided significant revenue. They are also facing a tuition freeze and insufficient provincial funding.

Christine Kelsey, chair of the college support staff bargaining team, remarked that the situation has changed dramatically since negotiations began. “We are trying to stabilize the system—not just for this term, but for generations to come,” she said.

The support staff represented by OPSEU perform various roles, including disability services, library technology, trades, co-op placement coordination, food services, and IT. Over the past year, approximately 10,000 jobs have been lost in the college sector, which employs around 60,000 staff and faculty. Kelsey described the job losses as “causing chaos for students and communities.”

In an online update, OPSEU informed members that the union would support not only full-time staff but also part-time staff and faculty who choose not to cross picket lines. The College Employer Council's final offer included a $145 million increase in wages and benefits, a two percent wage increase each year, job security tied to new technology, and improved severance for laid-off workers.

Lloyd urged the union to consider mediation or arbitration to resolve the impasse, stating, “The work that the employees, these support staff, do is extremely important. We have put a proposal to them that is extremely fair.”

While most classes are expected to proceed normally, Miloš Vasić, president of the Humber Faculty Union, encouraged faculty to support the strike. “Only we, the workers in the college system, can save the system from itself,” he said. Vasić suggested that faculty should avoid canceling or moving classes online to ensure students witness the strike.

In a statement, the Ontario NDP criticized the provincial government for not investing in post-secondary education, claiming it has led to a crisis in Ontario’s colleges. They called on Premier Doug Ford to take action to prevent further job losses and support the future of public colleges.