For information about a strike at your college, please check your email, the college website and social media posts. You can also find information at Bargaining | College Employer Council - CEC and at Colleges – OPSEU SEFPO

For information about a strike at your college, please check your email, the college website and social media posts. You can also find information at Bargaining | College Employer Council - CEC and at Colleges – OPSEU SEFPO

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.

• 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.

• At the Colleges, strikes are peaceful forms of protest
• Picket lines are formed by striking employees and people can be delayed from entering campus.
• 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 college 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 faculty members choose to apply pressure by slowing down, disrupting or stopping work, these actions lead to varying degrees of negative impact on the academic delivery.

• 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.

• In work-to-rule, employees perform only the duties that have been assigned, strictly adhering to policy and contract obligations.

• In work-to-rule, teachers continue to teach their classes and perform duties as assigned.

• No.
• Introducing terms and conditions does not affect the ability of full-time and partial-load professors and instructors to teach. Nor will it affect the way in which classes are delivered.

• Work-to-rule should not affect your classes.
• Work-to-rule means employees continue to do their job performing duties they have been assigned such as teaching and grading.

• 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 will remain open subject to pandemic restrictions.
• 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.

• 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 CollegeEmployerCouncil.ca or follow the CEC on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, or YouTube.

• The government does not get involved with College bargaining unless absolutely necessary.
• In 2017, the government legislated faculty back to work after 5 weeks of engaging in a full walk-out. The Union is currently in the process of challenging this decision.

• Colleges will inform students about the status of classes.
• Check your College website for more information.

• The duration of conciliation lasts as long as both parties are willing to meet.
• Either party can end conciliation and ask for a no board report whenever they like.
• The conciliator appointed by the Ministry of Labour will issue a no board report whenever a party requests it, or within 14 days of appointment, whichever first occurs. The parties may agree to extend or the minister order it based on the recommendation of the conciliator officer.

• 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.

The college will continue working to provide you with a world-class college experience. The normal rules for refunds will continue to apply during a strike.