Guidelines for Crossing a Picket Line at Lambton College
Lambton College respects the bargaining process and the right of unionized employees to engage in labour action. Our priority is maintaining a safe and respectful College community for all students, employees, and guests. Please read through this guide if you will be accessing Lambton Colleges campuses during a strike.
We anticipate picket lines at both main entrances to the Main Campus at Lambton College: London Road and Wellington Street. There may also be picket lines at the Fire School in Corunna, and on the Lambton Ottawa campus.
These picket lines will consist of bargaining unit employees from Lambton College who are on strike. There may also be guests or supporters on the picket lines.
Picket lines are not able to prevent anyone from accessing campus altogether. However, there may be delays as the picket lines cross in front of entrances. You will likely be in a queue to access campus and to leave campus. Proceed in the queue cautiously and courteously and do not attempt to skip ahead. It is likely the picket line will allow one car through at a time.
People on the picket lines will likely engage with you. Please remember these are people who have dedicated their careers to supporting the success and wellness of Lambton College students who are engaging in their legal right to strike. Keep your interactions respectful.
- Drivers and pedestrians alike may experience delays entering campus.
- Sarnia Transit buses will not cross the picket line and will have alternate drop-off locations near campus.
- Regardless of how you are coming to campus, you should plan accordingly by leaving earlier for classes and other commitments.
- If you know you are going to be late due to the delays associated with the picket lines, please stay calm. Everyone in the Lambton College community is aware of the picket lines, and this will be a time for understanding and flexibility.
If you will be in a vehicle to access Lambton College campus, please engage in extra preparation and precaution:
- Expect delays. Typically, picket lines can limit crossings to one car at a time.
- If possible, avoid taking a route that requires a left-hand turn onto campus. Right-hand turns will be easier to accomplish and may help minimize traffic back-ups.
- Remember that pedestrians always have the right of way.
Both picketers and people crossing the picket line are expected to comply with the law and Lambton College’s Respectful College Community policy.
- Any issues should be reported to Lambton College Security or to Lambton College’s Strike Coordinator Jennifer Ziegler jennifer.ziegler@lambtoncollege.ca.
- Lambton College Security can be reached by dialing 519-542-7751 and pressing 1
- Sarnia Police Service are responsible for maintaining public safety and at times may attend the picket lines.
This is a caring and close-knit community and must remain that way through the bargaining process and beyond.
Sarnia Transit Update
Sarnia Transit is revising its campus bus route during the strike. See the map below for details.
Student Services Availability During a Strike
| Services | Department | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Academics | Academic/Class updates | Classes will continue though there may be modifications to some classes; watch your College email for updates |
| Online Education, Continuing Education, OntarioLearn courses | Will continue | |
| Co-operative Education | Will continue | |
| Field & Clinical Placements | Will continue | |
| Tutoring | Available regular hours | |
| Accessibility | Available regular hours with some services limited | |
| Testing | Will continue | |
| Library | 24/7 access maintained; Regular hours for service | |
| Student Life | Residence | Regular operations |
| Food Services | Regular operations | |
| Athletics - varsity and intramural | Regular operations | |
| Fitness Centre | Regular operations | |
| Student Administrative Council | Regular operations | |
| Student Support | Registrar's Office | Regular hours though there may be delays for service |
| IT Service Desk | Regular hours though there may be delays for service | |
| Indigenous Student Centre | Available regular hours with some services limited | |
| Co-op and Career Services | Available regular hours with some services limited | |
| Counselling | Available regular hours | |
| Lion’s Mind Peer Wellness Collective | Regular operations | |
| Lion’s Heart Campus Food Bank and Clothing Closet | Regular operations | |
| Campus Shop | Available regular hours | |
| Wellness Centre | Closed | |
| Student Success Navigators | Not available. Consider instead:
|
Frequently Asked Questions
At the colleges, strikes are peaceful forms of labour action.
Picket lines are formed by striking employees and people could be delayed from entering the campus.
A strike may take different forms. In general, it is an action designed to slow down, disrupt, or stop college operations.
In the event of any type of strike, Lambton College will continue to operate.
Work to Rule: Bargaining union employees perform only the duties that have been assigned, adhering to policy and contract obligations.
Partial Walk-Out Strike: Bargaining union employees do not perform some of their assigned duties.
Rotating Strike: Bargaining union employees walk out for short periods of time at different institutions.
Full Walk-Out Strike: Bargaining union employees withdraw all services from all colleges across the sector.
A Full-Time Support Staff strike will not result in the widespread cancellation of classes, though there may be changes to your course delivery.
Check all official Lambton College communications channels for updates: your College email, Teams, D2L, lambtoncollege.ca, and Lambton College social media channels.
If you are coming to campus, allow extra time for travelling to the College as picket lines may be set up at both entrances and traffic flow could be limited.
If there is a full walk-out strike and you take transit to campus, be aware that transit buses will drop students off outside of the campus to respect picket lines.
Yes, the campus will remain open, and our goal is to ensure minimal disruption to the academic year.
When picket lines occur, picketers cannot prevent access to those looking to enter the campus. However, entry could be delayed for up to 10 minutes.
In the event of a full walk-out strike, which includes picket lines, we will communicate with students on how to safely access the campus.
No. A Full-Time Support Staff strike will not result in the widespread cancellation of classes.
However, there may be changes to course delivery. Please stay up to date on your classes by checking your College email and D2L and paying attention to announcements from your instructors.
Support staff provide a wide range of student services, and there will be impacts to service delivery.
In a strike mandate vote, a union’s membership decides if they will give their bargaining team the authority to strike.
A strike vote of College Employees is supervised by the Ontario Labour Relations Board.
While a vote in favour of a strike mandate authorizes union leadership to give strike notice, it does not mean the union will automatically be going on strike.
Though a vote in favour of a strike mandate does not necessarily guarantee that a full walk-out strike will take place, labour action such as strikes are a possibility during any labour negotiation.
At Lambton College, our main concern is your education and student experience, and we are preparing for all possibilities.
Requesting a No Board Report is a step in the negotiation process. A No Board Report recognizes that the parties are at an impasse and a conciliator could not help.
16 days after a No Board Report is issued, the previous collective agreement is no longer binding, which puts the Full-Time Support Staff OPSEU union in a position where they could give notice of labour action and engage in a strike.
Previous Updates
The OPSEU union bargaining team has requested and received a No Board Report from the Ministry of Labour. This is notable because it is legal for strike/labour action to commence on the 17th day after the issuance of the No Board Report, putting the union in a legal strike position beginning September 11, 2025.
Recently, members of the OPSEU union representing Full-Time Support Staff were given the opportunity to engage in a strike mandate vote, which took place August 13-15. This process resulted in an 80% voter turnout, and a 77.3% vote in favour of a strike mandate, granting the union's bargaining team the authority to authorize a strike.
The OPSEU union representing Full-Time Support Staff has announced its intent to hold a strike mandate vote. The vote will take place on August 13, 14, and 15. The OPSEU union has also filed for Conciliation, which is scheduled for August 20.