Confederation College Responds to Strike

Confederation College isn’t expecting any major disruptions now that unionized support staff at Ontario’s 24-community colleges are on strike.
President Jim Madder says he’s disappointed that a negotiated settlement could not be reached.
Madder stresses programs and services at Confederation will continue and officials will welcome new and returning students at each of the 9-campuses.
The union says it went on strike because the colleges demanded concessions and claw-backs to its existing contract.
But Gerry Barker, chairman of the colleges’ bargaining team, says the colleges offered increases for support staff that would take the average salary to more than $59,000 a year with no concessions.
Barker doesn’t think a strike is necessary.
OP-SEU represents about 8,000 cleaners, food service staff and registration officers at the colleges.