Members of OPSEU/SEFPO Locals 124 and 125 are raising concerns about the growing impact of staffing cuts, program reductions, and deteriorating working and learning conditions at Lambton College.
Members said cuts are hurting students, and at the current level of underfunding, there's no end in sight to what programs and jobs will be suspended or cut entirely.
"The reality is, there's a number of pressures on the post-secondary system, with regard to the reduction in international students, the ZIP code eligibility being reduced to only a number of programs. We're seeing an increase in domestic enrollment, but that's not the case all over, but not significant to what they were. We've seen campus closures, program suspension, and I don't think the public is aware of what's actually happening, " said Michelle Arbour, President of Local 125, the faculty union at Lambton College.
Arbour said underfunding, changes to the Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP) by the provincial government, along with many other factors, put the public college system in a position where things can only get worse, and staffing levels and enrollment only go down.
"The number of offerings of programs is going to be significantly reduced. The level of services that they're going to receive is also going to be reduced. We're seeing a lot of support staff and faculty that are no longer going to be at the college due to reductions in staffing and layoffs. So we have a lot of seasoned faculty as well as support staff that are not at the college and will not be at the college," said Arbour.
Several programs at Lambton College have already been suspended, including the Office Administration program, the Culinary program, and the Hospitality and Tourism program.
"Our community relied on a lot of the graduates from those programs that won't be available any longer because it's not an option, so they will have to go elsewhere to take those programs outside of our local area, which is not feasible for some of our students, especially with the reductions in OSAP funding," she said.
Arbour said the cuts from all angles put pressure on staff and students, and the lack of communication from the college and the Ontario government puts them in a position of unease.
"I feel like the college system is really being dismantled in real time," she said. "We're seeing job losses across the college system. Which will be in excess of 12,000 faculty and support staff now, and there's no end in sight, like when we ask about, when do we see this? When are we going to reach the max? There are no responses, there's no answers to when we're going to see the end to cut the programs, and we're going to see the end to cuts, and to lay-offs."
Union members are calling on Lambton College leadership to be transparent in their plans for the future and address their concerns.
