With support staff at Ontario’s 24 colleges now into their second week of a strike, a secondary battle is brewing between OPSEU Local 421 and Loyalist College.
Union members walked off the job September 11 after failing to reach a deal with the College Employer Council with job security, workload and wages among the major issues.
But now there is further tension between the union and Loyalist regarding strike protocol.
Issues involve where picket lines should be set up and whether the union should inform the college when other supporters are joining the picket line.
In a statement to Quinte News, Loyalist College shared the most recent Strike Engagement Guidelines that have been proposed to OPSEU noting that the union has not agreed to those guidelines.
A statement from OPSEU Local 421 says they have attempted to come to an agreement with Loyalist to ensure everyone’s safety but there has been little movement on the college’s side.
Statement from Loyalist College:
To help address misinformation circulating in the community regarding the ongoing Full-Time Support Staff strike and related picketing activity, Loyalist College is sharing the most recent Strike Engagement Guidelines that have been proposed to OPSEU. To date, the union has not agreed to these guidelines.
Strike engagement guidelines, sometimes called strike protocols, have historically been established and agreed to at Ontario colleges, including Loyalist, during labour disruptions. They are designed to prioritize safety, ensure access to campus, and set clear expectations for respectful behaviour on picket lines. They also cover essentials such as allowing emergency vehicles through and having a process to quickly resolve issues. In short, they protect the rights of striking workers, support the college’s ability to operate, and keep the campus community safe and respected.
There has also been confusion about picketing on Loyalist property. To clarify, Loyalist has proposed guidelines that would allow safe, designated areas for picketing on campus. Because no agreement is in place, picketing on college property is not permitted, and the boundary line was marked simply to provide clarity for everyone. This is standard practice during labour disruptions to ensure that expectations are clear and consistent.
One of the goals of these guidelines is to create the conditions that could support Belleville Transit buses returning safely to campus. If successful, this would help reduce the current risks for students and employees who must cross Wallbridge-Loyalist Rd., a busy arterial route without crosswalks.
Strike Engagement Guidelines (Proposed by Loyalist College)
College Commitments
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Permit striking staff to use up to 60 parking spaces in Lot P8.
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Allow the Union to place portable toilets and a trailer in Parking Lot P8.
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Designate a specific area on campus property for picketing.
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Restrict access to Parking Lots P1 to direct most traffic through the main entrance.
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Enforce parking rules in Lot P1, limiting access to the following authorized vehicles:
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Students living in residence (with a valid pass)
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Emergency and security vehicles
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Public transit to facilitate safe and accessible access to campus from Pioneer Building
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Trenval and QEDC staff (with a valid pass)
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Clients coming to Community Employment Services (CES) at Pioneer Building
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For the purposes of picketing at the Bancroft Campus, striking staff are able to park in a designated portion of the front parking lot from the north side of the front entrance sidewalk to the north side of the front parking lot.
Union Commitments
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Local 421 will maintain a Commercial General Liability Insurance Policy with a minimum of $5 million coverage. The College will be named as an additional insured.
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Local 421 will provide proof of insurance and indemnify the College against any claims related to picketing activities.
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Delay vehicles only at North Entrance, at the designated spot west of the traffic circle.
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Local 421 will exercise its discretion in delaying vehicles but no more than five minutes per vehicle to ensure safety.
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Ensure delays do not cause traffic to back up onto Wallbridge-Loyalist Road.
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Avoid blocking access to the campus or physically preventing entry.
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Keep the designated picketing areas clean and safe daily.
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Remove all equipment (trailer, portable toilets) within five business days after the strike ends.
Additional Agreements
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Picket lines allow access for emergency vehicles without delay.
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Local 421 may picket up to the entrance to P1 if access restrictions are not effective.
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Local 421 may picket on the north side of the front parking lot at the Bancroft Campus.
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Union Picket Coordinator (wearing a safety vest) will oversee picket line conduct and coordination.
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Union will notify the College in advance of any external organizations joining picketing.
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The parties will continue to discuss issues through direct communication between the College President and the Union President and their designees.
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No alcohol, illegal substances, impairment or open flames while picketing.
Loyalist College remains ready to finalize an agreement with OPSEU without delay. Loyalist respects the union’s right to strike and are committed to working together constructively. Until a protocol is in place, however, the safety and well-being of students, employees and picketers remain at risk.
Statement from OPSEU Local 421 to members:
Dear members,
You may have received an email from Loyalist regarding the strike protocols. This email is misleading as the Strike Committee and OPSEU have attempted to come to an agreement with the college to ensure everyone’s safety with little movement on the College’s side. We have communicated and met with them several times. Below is the latest email sent this morning with no response from the College and before the email was sent to you this morning.
Please connect with your colleagues to ensure they have received this message.
Good Evening Leah-Anne,
The union believes that if Christian is going to be the physical spokesperson for the college he should be included on these emails. He is left at a disadvantage when speaking with local reps and the police liaison when he is not included in this communication.
We also need to point out that the union has provided the employer details about our concerns with the MOU, both prior to the strike beginning and in the meeting with HR on September 12, as well as meetings with the employer and the various police liaisons last week. Mark’s response to our member’s emailed concerns appears that he has not been kept up to date with the union positions previously shared with your team.
The union has been clear with the employer that we will not sign a MOU related to strike protocol/strike engagement, our position has not changed. We will not give up the ability to increase our actions to bring this strike to an end.
The employer offer would limit the union’s ability to get our message out to the Loyalist community. This is an important part of our strike that we will not compromise.
The employer’s offer about Pioneer entrance is a hallow offer, the employer has no ability to enforce this offer, as such the offer appears insincere.
The employer suggested picketing area would limit our visibility to the loyalist community and limit our ability to share why we are out here on strike, we cannot limit that ability.
The union is not able to notify the employer when supports will be coming to the line to walk with us, this is often spontaneous and we do not have forewarning, we will not agree to limit community support of our strike.
We already do not allow alcohol or drugs on our strike line. We cannot agree to no open flames as we may need to keep warm should this strike continue.
As previously shared given the Union’s concern for student safety, the Union has emailed the transit drivers’ union to discuss a possible option to improve safety. We would like to see if the busses can enter through the main entrance to P9 and drop off/pick up students at the back of P9 and then exit through the main entrance. We have not heard back from the transit union yet.
We also need to let the employer know that holding the picket to the property line at the entrances is not in the best interest for anyone involved in this strike. It is not safer for the students, the drivers, or the picketers. The colleges decision on this matter is putting everyone at greater risk. As shared on Friday at the meeting with the Police liaison, the union’s position is that it is safer for all involved in the strike if we move our line in 20 feet from the property line at the main entrance and 10 ft in from the property line at pioneer. We request that this be allowed in the interest of the safety of all of the loyalist community.
In solidarity,
L421
