Ten-thousand full-time support staff at Ontario’s 24 colleges, including Canadore, are on strike Thursday morning.

This after last-minute contract talks failed between the Ontario Public Service Employees Union and the College Employer Council.

The biggest stumbling block is the union demand of job protection, that being no layoffs, and no members’ work being done by others, including outside contractors.  

The union says picket locations in North Bay include all three Canadore Campuses on College Drive, Commerce Crescent and Airport Hill.  

Canadore College says full-time faculty and part-time professors are not part of the support staff bargaining so academic programming will continue as scheduled.  

Services such as admissions, registrar, technical and IT support, libraries, athletics, campus security, food services, and other student support offices may have delays or reduced availability.  

Officials also say transit access to campus may be temporarily rerouted with a pick-up and drop-off location established near campus to ensure reliable service.   

*With files from Norman Jack

Richard Coffin has been a reporter and news anchor on the radio in North Bay for over 25 years.  From premiers to people in the neighbourhood, he enjoys connecting with newsmakers and writing stories that matter to area listeners on a variety of topics including healthcare, education, politics, sports and more.