College Labour Talks Hit Deadlock, Strike Continues
- Small Town Productions
- Sep 30
- 2 min read
Labour negotiations between Ontario colleges and support staff have stalled, prolonging the ongoing strike that has disrupted campuses across the province.
The College Employer Council (CEC), which represents Ontario’s 24 publicly funded colleges, says the talks collapsed after the Ontario Public Service Employees’ Union (OPSEU) bargaining team allegedly reversed course on key issues.
According to the CEC, the two sides had been close to reaching a tentative deal following mediation sessions over the weekend. Proposed improvements included stronger safeguards around contracting out, new provisions to address technological change, wage increases, expanded bereavement leave, and compensation for on-call staff.
However, just as an agreement seemed within reach, the CEC claims OPSEU altered its demands, introducing conditions that would require union approval for any contracted work and imposing new limits on collaborative projects. The CEC argues that such protections already exist under current agreements and that the changes would restrict colleges’ ability to adapt to evolving needs.
Graham Lloyd, CEO of the CEC, criticized the move, saying it undermined progress made at the bargaining table.
“Ultimatums and backtracking undo days of hard work,” Lloyd said. “Support staff deserve to know exactly what was offered, and we encourage the union to share our full proposal so members can judge for themselves.”
The union has not yet issued a detailed public response to the CEC’s claims.
With talks stalled, students and staff remain caught in the middle as campuses continue to feel the effects of the labour disruption.
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