SAULT STE. MARIE - Sault College’s full time support staff are officially out on strike as of Sept. 11, joining union members from public colleges around the province after an agreement failed to be struck by the deadline.
College officials have assured staff and students that classes will continue to operate as usual — in spite of an array of employees hitting the picket line — and offered staff advice on how to proceed with the strike in internal memos sent out earlier this week.
“Picketers may wish to provide you with information and to discuss issues with you,” said a letter addressed to academic staff and part time support staff, which was obtained by SooToday.
“You may want to respond with statements such as ‘Thank you for the information.’ ‘I’d like to exercise my right to go to work.’”
Dozens of employees could be seen along Willow Ave. and Northern Ave. on Thursday morning, and the college’s memos cautioned employees not involved with the strike from refusing to cross the picket line.
“If you refuse to cross the picket line, you will be participating in an illegal strike,” said an FAQ sent to employees.
“Employees who participate in an illegal strike will be subject to discipline up to and including possible termination. Note that a concerted use of sick days, personal days, and/or vacation days designed to avoid crossing the picket line can also constitute an illegal strike.”
Academic staff and part time support staff are not in a “legal” position to strike, memos state.
“Your collective agreement and the Colleges Collective Bargaining Act prohibits a strike or strike activity unless you are in a lawful position to strike, which you are not.”
Moving an in-person course to online delivery amid the strike could be “deemed refusing to cross the picket line,” and changes to course delivery need to be approved by program dean’s, said the FAQ.
Staff were encouraged to give themselves plenty of time, and to prepare to cross picket lines, on their way to work amid the strike.
To date, there have been no conflicts on campus with staff on strike, nor have any non-striking staff failed to report to work, college officials told SooToday.
OPSEU, which represents full time support staff, previously told SooToday that job security lies at the heart of their demands.
“The landscape has changed dramatically since we began bargaining,” said Christine Kelsey, chair of the College Support Full-Time Bargaining Team.
“Now, we know the full extent of lay-offs: 10,000 jobs will be lost across the college system this year alone, causing chaos for students and communities.”