TORONTO — The bargaining agent for Ontario's publicly funded colleges says it is proposing binding mediation-arbitration after a union representing thousands of full-time support staff took a step toward a possible strike.
The Ontario Public Service Employees Union has asked the Labour Ministry for a "no board" report, which would recognize the parties are at an impasse and a conciliator would not be able to help.
The College Employer Council says the union's move sets a legal strike date as early as Sept. 11.
Earlier this month, union members voted 77.3 per cent in favour of authorizing a strike, if necessary.
The employer council has said the union's demands would expose colleges to more than $900 million in additional costs.
The union has proposed a moratorium on campus closures and preventing further layoffs, as the sector has seen closures and what the union describes as thousands of job losses due to a funding crisis.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 21, 2025.
Allison Jones, The Canadian Press
