St. Lawrence College president optimistic strike won’t happen

Ontario’s 12,000 community college employees will be in a legal strike position in just over two weeks.

But the President of St. Lawrence College says he’s optimistic things won’t get that far.

“You know, we’ve been around for 50 years now. In those 50 years, there’s been 12 strike votes, which have led to three strikes. And no case in those 50 years has a student ever lost their semester,” Glenn Vollebregt said.

Get breaking National news

For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen.

Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up

By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy.

“So again, I remain positive and optimistic that a settlement will be reached,” he added.

Employees, which includes those from Belleville’s Loyalist College, as well as the Kingston, Brockville and Cornwall campuses of St. Lawrence College voted in favour of a strike mandate two weeks ago.

OPSEU, the union representing professors, librarians, instructors and counsellors, asked the conciliator to file a no-board report last Friday.

The current agreement expires September 30^th.