A union representing support staff at Ontario's colleges have voted for a strike mandate.
The last time the Ontario Public Service Employees Union went on strike was in 1979. Workers approved a strike mandate in 2008 contract talks, which concluded without any work stoppages.
The College Student Alliance says school management must find a way to keep classes going if there is a strike or lockout.
OPSEU said roughly 8,000 support workers were eligible to vote in Thursday's ballot.
College support workers fill many non-teaching jobs, from computer support staff to janitors to lab technicians.
The union's contract expires Aug. 31. Most college classes start after Labour Day.
