A merger, a messaging pivot, and a historic bargaining fight. Host Julie White speaks with Local 417 President Gillian Axten and Provincial Part-Time/Sessional Bargaining Team Vice Chair Greg Dickson to unpack some of what’s happening across Ontario’s colleges.

Gillian analyzes the Oct. 5 Ontario Morning segment where St Lawrence College's President & CEO spoke with Ramraajh Sharvendiran about the upcoming college merger. The segment also featured Local 351 President Marcia Steeves from Fleming College.

• The sudden shift to “rural college” branding
• Cuts in Brockville and Cornwall despite rural messaging
• Growth claims vs. real job losses and program suspensions
• StrategyCorp’s influence on efficiency measures and integration
• Curriculum transfer concerns: placements, credentialing, workload
• The union’s successful push for a seat at the planning table

Greg Dickson reports from the sixth bargaining session for part‑time and sessional faculty:

• No new proposals from the CEC
• No answers to union questions
• New union language tabled on health & safety and Union College Committees
• Protections against reprisal for reporting unsafe labs
• Why coordinated power across all CAAT divisions matters this round

• Complete the Provincial Academic Bargaining Survey
• Watch for merger task‑force updates
• Be aware that integration emails route through StrategyCorp, not local management

00:00 – Intro: Rural branding & merger framing
00:27 – CBC interview recap
03:10 – Cuts vs. rural messaging
05:34 – Growth narrative vs. job losses
07:52 – Behind‑the‑scenes planning
10:18 – Curriculum transfer & placements
13:10 – Guarantees for students vs. staff
15:37 – Partial‑load reductions
17:06 – Rural campuses as anchors
18:13 – Gillian’s takeaway
21:55 – Bargaining survey push
24:18 – Integration emails → StrategyCorp
25:12 – Provincial bargaining segment
25:42 – No new proposals from CEC
27:42 – Health & safety language
29:30 – Lab overcrowding & reprisal protections
31:25 – Union College Committees

Relevant Links:
🔗 Hear Glenn Vollebregt and Marcia Steeves talk about the Merger
CBC Ontario Morning segment with Ramraajh Sharvendiran

🔗 Provincial FT/PL Academic Bargaining Survey (closes Friday)
Bargaining Survey 2027

🔗 CAAT-A PT/SL Bargaining Hub (see what's been tabled)
PT SL Bargaining Hub