As negotiations broke down between the Ontario Public Sector Employees Union (OPSEU) and College Employer Council (CEC), college support staff are continuing to strike.
Staff at Conestoga College’s Stratford campus held a picket line outside Perth-Wellington MPP Matthew Rae’s office from 8 am to 2 pm today.
Training consultant Carol Schlievrt said they picketed there to show presence to their cause.
“On Erie Street, where our campus is, we’re not seeing a lot of foot traffic and a lot of people asking questions, so here we’re seeing more traffic and people are noticing,” said Schlievrt.
“That’s going to help us when we go back to our campus location to picket next week, we’re going to get more questions from the public, and they’ll understand a little bit more about why we’re out here.”
This came as last Friday saw the union and council sit down with a mediator, where the council said the union’s bargaining team reversed course during talks and derailed progress.
The union said talks ended due to the employer refusing progress on job security provisions for striking workers.
Schlievrt said what’s needed is for both parties to sit at the table and come up with common wording.
“From what we’re hearing on the outside is that a proposal is put forward, but it’s rebutted, but I don’t think they’re actually trying to work out proper language between the two so we just need them to come together and talk,” said Schlievrt.
“One of the stipulations that the support staff have is that the support jobs aren’t contracted out. Our fear with contracting out of those roles is that not only do we lose jobs, but when the actual supports are contracted out, that money could be leaving our communities as well.”
She added by picketing in front of Rae’s office, they hope it can lead him to send a message to Premier Doug Ford that public colleges need to be funded, and that private funding isn’t the answer.
The support staff plan to picket at their Stratford campus Tuesday to Thursday next week.
