FAQs

A strike happens when employees who are typically represented by a labour union refuse to work as a form of protest. This legal process occurs with proper notice and is governed by labour laws. Workers on strike may form picket lines at the entrance of the place of work to peacefully put pressure on the employer to negotiate issues.

The bargaining teams representing the province’s full-time support staff and Ontario’s 24 public colleges, including Conestoga, were unable to negotiate a new collective agreement. 

Conestoga is one of 24 colleges in Ontario regulated by the Ontario Colleges of Applied Arts and Technology (CAAT) Act. Under this legislation, unionized employee groups share collective agreements.   

The College Employer Council (CEC) is the government-mandated bargaining agent for Ontario’s 24 publicly funded colleges in negotiating collective agreements with unionized employees. The Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU) represents unionized Ontario college employees.

The current collective agreement between the CEC and OPSEU representing full-time support staff expired on August 31, 2025. OPSEU gave legal notice that it intended to begin strike action on Thursday, September 11 at 12:01 a.m. if a deal could not be reached. CEC and OPSEU failed to reach a renewal collective agreement by the deadline. 

Employees in the full-time support staff bargaining unit at all 24 public colleges in Ontario, including Conestoga, began strike action on September 11, 12:01 a.m.

Updated: September 21, 2:00 p.m.

No. The union represents full-time support staff at all 24 public colleges in Ontario.

It is not possible to predict the length of the strike.

Updates will be shared regularly with the college community.

All Conestoga campuses and sites remain open; however, services may be impacted.

Visit the College services page for more details. 

Full-time support staff provide a wide range of services.

Full-time and part-time professors/instructors and other academic employees (e.g., librarians and counsellors), as well as administrative employees and part-time support staff, continue working.

All Conestoga campuses and sites remain open; however, services may be impacted.

You may encounter a picket line as you access a campus. View picket line guidance for tips on how to cross.  

As labour action continues, picketing activity at Conestoga campuses may shift or change. Please be advised that picketing could begin as early as 7:00 a.m.

We understand that for some individuals, crossing a picket line can be stressful. 

View picket line guidance for tips on how to cross. 

Above all, remember to be patient and safe. 

If you have safety concerns at the picket line, please contact Security at 519-748-5220 ext. 3357 or securityservices@conestogac.on.ca. 

Picketing could now begin as early as 7:00 a.m.

As labour action continues, picketing activity at Conestoga campuses may shift or change.

Public transit providers will continue to operate scheduled routes to and from Conestoga locations; however, buses will not enter campus grounds as they usually would to access onsite bus stops.

Alternative bus stops will be established off campus to accommodate these changes. Riders are encouraged to check official transit websites for updates, service notices and location details.

Yes. Paid parking is still in effect during the strike.

For more information on rates, please visit Parking & Transportation.

The Child Care Centre at the Kitchener – Doon campus is closed during strike action.

All other Conestoga Child Care Centres remain open.

Updated: September 15, 8:50 a.m.

Convocation is scheduled to take place from October 21-24. At this time, there is no change to that schedule.

We will provide an update should the schedule change.

No. All scheduled PAC meetings are deferred until after the strike.

Updates will continue to be shared on the college’s website, including impacts to students and the community.

If you cannot find the information you are looking for on this site, please contact StrikeInformation@conestogac.on.ca with your question.

If learning is affected by the strike, decisions on refunds will be made by the provincial government, not individual colleges. 

Conestoga has implemented contingency plans to support students in meeting their program learning outcomes during the strike. Students are encouraged to meet with their chair or dean to discuss specific concerns. 

We expect most classes will continue during the strike; however, there may be an impact to labs and other activities that full-time support staff are engaged with. Changes will be communicated to students through their eConestoga course sites. Students should check for announcements from their professors/instructors each day before they leave for campus.

Yes. Apprenticeship training will continue during the strike.

We expect most classes will continue as planned. Ontario college students have never lost an academic year because of a strike.

The college’s priority remains student success and minimizing disruption to learning.

Most external co-op work terms and placements will continue during a full-time support staff strike. For questions about your co-op work term, contact co-op@conestogac.on.ca. For questions about your placement, contact WILdocumentservices@conestogac.on.ca.

If your work term or placement is at Conestoga or another Ontario college and your supervisor is a full-time support staff employee, it may be delayed or suspended for the duration of the strike. Contact the department you are working with or the Co-op Office to confirm.

If your placement requirement includes learning activities and reflection that are guided by full-time support staff, your placement may be suspended. You will receive communication from your faculty/program or from the WIL Placement Office regarding status.

Yes. If you are not already registered with Accessible Learning, please complete the intake form.

During the strike, baseline accommodations may be put in place should they be consistent with the information provided with supporting medical documentation. More information will be sent after the intake form has been submitted.

You will not be able to meet with your Accessibility Advisor during the strike.

Students with an appointment within one week of the start of the strike will be contacted by a representative from Accessible Learning to determine what steps might be taken or which questions related to accommodations can be answered.

All subsequent appointments will be cancelled.

Students are encouraged to email accessibility@conestogac.on.ca for time-sensitive or urgent requests.

Please email accessibility@onestogac.on.ca for the duration of the strike.

The accessibiliyintake@conestogac.on.ca and operations@conestogac.on.ca inboxes will not be monitored.

Some events might be paused during the strike. Check the Student Success Portal for details.

The strike will not impact the immigration status of international students. Students must continue to comply with all the conditions outlined in their study permit.  

  International Student Immigration Advisors have created detailed guidelines with step-by-step instructions. Students can request a copy of the guide at internationaladvisor@conestogac.on.ca.    

If you are eligible to work on and/or off campus, your eligibility remains the same.  

For more information about work eligibility, please check the IRCC website and Conestoga Work Eligibility page.   

Yes. Students with on-campus jobs will continue working during the strike. Consult with your manager to confirm hours and duties, as these may change.  

OSAP processing will continue. However, processing timelines might be delayed.  

Students should submit their applications and required documents as normal and continue to monitor the status of their OSAP applications through the OSAP website.  

At this time, fee deadlines will not change. Should strike action be prolonged, the college will reassess the situation and communicate updates as necessary.  

Tuition payments will continue to be processed; however, there may be a delay in posting the payments to student accounts.  

Financial aid programs will continue to be available and applications will continue to be processed; however, processing timelines may be delayed. Students should submit their applications as they normally would.  

Yes. Students should submit their applications as they normally would.  

The General Awards Application closes September 26, 2025.  

Your scholarship cheque can be mailed to Conestoga as mail services will remain operational; however, there may be delays in receiving and posting your scholarship payment.  

Yes, transcripts will continue to be processed and are available through the MyCreds application. Please note that processing times might be delayed.  

Enrolment verification letters can still be accessed any time through the Student Portal. Customized verification letters will also be available but may be delayed.  

Students should appeal a grade or academic decision following the normal procedure.  

Yes, there may be a delay in processing some requests; however, credentials will continue to be processed.  

Application processing continues as normal; however, there may be a small delay in reviewing your application and making an admission decision. 

Prospective students should continue to apply as normal.

Domestic applicants can send questions to admissions@conestogac.on.ca.

International applicants can send questions to internationaladmissions@conestogac.on.ca.

The College Fair event is cancelled. 

Join us at Open House on November 8 instead. More details to come. 

Updated: September 12, 2:00 p.m.

In-person campus tours are cancelled.

You can still explore Conestoga through our virtual tour. If you have questions or require assistance with the virtual tour, please contact tours@conestogac.on.ca.

Conestoga expects non-striking employees to be available to work as scheduled.

In some cases, non-striking employees may be asked to assist in ensuring the continuity of services for students and the Conestoga community during the strike.

Non-striking employees who are completing work on campus will be required to cross picket lines. View picket line guidance for more information. 

Only members of the OPSEU full-time support staff bargaining unit are in a legal strike position. All other employees are expected to report to work as usual.

Any disruption to service and/or changes to address the need for both on-site delivery to students, and remote work, will be communicated by your manager.

Colleges have also been provided centralized communications to address frequently asked questions about expectations. These documents can be accessed through the HR Services SharePoint. 

There may be temporary adjustments to responsibilities to ensure that essential services continue. Changes will be communicated directly through your manager.

No. Non-striking employees will continue to be paid on schedule.

Employees concerned about the impact of strike action on their role or department should raise their questions with their manager.