Conestoga College Job Cuts: Unions Demand Accountability Amidst Controversy

Unions representing employees at Conestoga College are demanding accountability and justification following recent job losses at the institution. An internal memo from President John Tibbits revealed that changes in federal policies, specifically a cap on international student enrolment, have led to a significant decline in expected international student numbers, which in turn affected staffing levels.

Internal Memo Insights

The memo states that due to these changes, Ontario colleges, including Conestoga, will not meet their international enrolment targets, resulting in thousands fewer international students than anticipated. Consequently, several administrative positions were eliminated, and a notice was shared with the support staff union regarding an intent to reduce support staff positions. Discussions between the union and college administration are expected in the coming weeks.

Union Responses

The Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU) Local 237, which represents about 1,160 members, expressed uncertainty about the number of affected employees. Leopold Koff, president of OPSEU Local 237, speculated that up to 30% of members might be impacted, fearing that many would face reduced hours or no contracts at all.

Koff criticized the college's decision, stating, "It’s technically not a layoff, it’s a reduction, but there are partial load faculty that have been on contract at Conestoga even longer than John Tibbits has been there. They are now being dumped into the dumpster by the college."

Salary Disparities and Accountability

The situation has sparked further outrage as it follows the release of Ontario's sunshine list, which highlighted Tibbits as the highest-paid public sector employee in Waterloo Region, earning over $636,000. Vikki Poirier, president of OPSEU Local 238, criticized the 29% salary increase for Tibbits amidst the ongoing struggles of support staff.

Poirier stressed the need for accountability and justification for the layoffs, stating, "They made the decision to lay off the people. We are going to make sure that there is accountability, that there is justification and we are going to decrease the impact on our membership as much as humanly possible."

Additionally, Conestoga College reported a surplus of nearly $252 million in 2024, raising questions about the transparency of their financial decisions. Koff emphasized the lack of communication from the college regarding costs and budgets, asking how they expect to gain buy-in from employees without disclosing the true situation.

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