The union that represents thousands of full-time support staff at Ontario's colleges has taken a step toward a possible strike.
The Ontario Public Service Employees Union says it has requested a "no board'' report, and once issued by the province's labour ministry it would set a 16-day countdown to a legal strike position.
The union says there is no strike date at this time, but it would put them in a position to withdraw services for the fall semester.
Members voted earlier this month 77.3 per cent in favour of authorizing a strike, if necessary.
OPSEU local 137 represents support staff of St. Clair College in Windsor and Chatham-Kent.
Members fill a wide-range of positions, including Classroom Technicians, Administrative Assistants, I.T. Programmers, Clerical Staff, Lab Technologists, Library Technicians, Admissions Advisors, Athletic Coordinators, and many more.
The College Employer Council, the bargaining agent for the province's publicly funded colleges, has said the union's demands would expose colleges to more than $900 million in additional costs.
OPSEU has proposed a moratorium on campus closures and preventing further layoffs, as the sector has seen closures and what the union describes as thousands of job losses due to a funding crisis.
Members can join an online Bargaining Town Hall on Friday at noon.