TORONTO - The union representing support staff at Ontario's community colleges says it has little hope of reaching a deal with the schools in time to avoid a strike.
The Ontario Public Service Employees Union, which represents about 8,000 support staff, says the two sides have agreed on some details but not major sticking points such as job security and wages.
The unionized workers, which include cleaners, food service staff and registration officers, will legally be able to strike at 12:01 a.m. Thursday.
A strike could compromise the new school year set to start next week, and a student group has urged the schools to do whatever they can to stay open.
Bargainers for the province's 24 colleges last week offered support staff annual salary increases and no benefit cuts.
The union has been seeking a three per cent annual wage increase and job protection against the schools' use of part-time and temporary hires.
Negotiations picked up Monday, but "the prognosis is not good," OPSEU's president, Warren (Smokey) Thomas said in a news conference in Toronto.
"At this rate, I'm not optimistic that a settlement can be reached" by the deadline, he said.
Union members voted last month to give negotiators the option to call a strike.
The last time the support workers went on strike was in 1979.
Workers approved a strike mandate in 2008 contract talks, which concluded without any work stoppages.
