Information relevant to ongoing CUPE bargaining
Updated Thursday, January 30, 2025
The university has been engaged in negotiating renewal collective agreements with CUPE Locals 229 (Tradespeople / Maintenance Workers and Caretakers / Custodians), 1302 (Library Technicians), and 254 (Lab Technicians). CUPE has established a legal strike date of Monday, February 3 at 12:01 am. The University respects the unions’ right to strike and the right of employees in CUPE Locals 229, 1302 and 254 to participate in the strike. It is essential for everyone to understand that employees engaged in a work stoppage are exercising a legal right.
Negotiations are ongoing, and we remain cautiously optimistic that if both sides commit to working hard through the week and weekend, deals can be found that are fair to everyone and can be ratified by both sides.
Student Life and Campus Operations
No. The university will remain open and classes and academic activities (including classes taught in a lab) are expected to continue. The university will continually monitor the situation and post regular updates on the academic activities of the university on the website.
Any changes to classes will be communicated to students via email, as well as posted on the appropriate teaching and learning platforms. 
Yes. The University has plans in place to operate in the event that the CUPE locals go on strike. 
Yes.
In addition to the negotiations underway with the university, Queen’s Food Service provider, Aramark, is engaged in bargaining with the same CUPE Local 229 in efforts to reach an agreement to renew its collective agreement.
In the event of job action taken by Aramark employees or university employees, students, faculty, and staff will continue to be able to access dining halls and select retail food locations on campus although hours of operation and menu offerings will be reduced. Importantly, food for those with allergies and dietary needs (including halal and vegan) will continue to be provided. Students with allergies or special diets are encouraged to continue to Ask Before You Eat by speaking to a Chef or manager in the dining halls. 
For updates on food services, dining hall and retail food locations, and hours of operation, please see the What’s Open Now? ·É±đ˛ú±č˛ą˛µ±đ. 
Queen’s Athletics and Recreation is assessing and prioritizing all programs, services and events with the goal of minimizing any disruptions to building hours or activity offerings.
Contingency plans are in place to ensure health and safety. Our priority is to enable all ARC users to be able to continue to use the facility, stay active, and promote their wellbeing. Any changes, if required, will be posted on the and through the .
It is anticipated that all currently booked events on campus through to February 14 will continue. The University is committed to minimizing disruptions; however, operations will be reduced, including cleaning and waste collection. Event organizers are asked to leave booked spaces in the state they found them in. We will continue to assess the events calendar, as required. Information on specific event support will be shared with event organizers as contingency planning progresses. Room bookings will continue to be accepted, and assessed.
No. Winter grounds operations, including snow clearing, salting, and exterior garbage removal, will continue as usual.  
Yes. Our custodial team will prioritize the following areas: 
- Washrooms: Cleaning and disinfection, restocking of supplies, and waste disposal will remain a top priority. 
- Hallways and Labs: Focus will be on keeping these areas clear of debris, with regular garbage collection. 
- Classrooms and Lecture Theaters: Cleaning will be conducted on an alternating-day schedule to ensure continued service. 
- Libraries: Custodial efforts will be focused on maintaining main traffic areas within each location. 
Additional measures for health and safety include the deployment of disinfectant wipes and additional hand sanitizer stations in high-traffic areas throughout campus buildings to promote hygiene and reduce risks. 
Yes. All service requests or issues should be directed to the Fixit Call Centre to ensure timely response and proper tracking. 
Contact Facilities Client Service (Fixit) for all service requests for issues relating to building maintenance, custodial Support services and grounds. Direct general inquiries can be made by phone at 613.533.6757 (internal 77301) or by email fixit@queensu.ca.
Emergency situations should always be reported by phone:
- Monday to Friday (7 a.m. to 4 p.m.): 613.533.6757 (internal 77301)  
- After 4 p.m. or over weekends: 613.533.6080 (internal 36080)  
- Examples of emergencies include: flooding, lack of heating or cooling, broken windows, exterior door malfunctions, snow removal/icy conditions or custodial clean-ups.  
For Striking Employees
We are committed to providing factual answers to the questions we are being asked about a potential strike.
With the decision to call a strike, the union has decided that its bargaining unit members will stop working and withdraw their services. As a general rule, all pay and benefits that are provided as a result of bargaining unit members working, are suspended for the period of the strike, with the exception that the university and the union locals have come to an agreement on maintaining insured benefits.
An additional exception is if a bargaining unit member is already on leave or taking vacation, these leaves continue until the anticipated end. Interruptions to pay, benefits, IT systems, and building access will only apply to employees who are striking.  An employee whose union is on strike may request reinstatement to active employment.  
Bargaining unit members who are already on an approved sick leave prior to a legal strike/lock out commencing would continue to be eligible to receive paid sick leave.
Striking employees who become ill on or after the first day of a legal strike would not receive sick pay.  
Bargaining unit members who are already on approved pregnancy/parental leave prior to the commencement of a legal labour disruption would continue on their approved leave until the end of the approved pregnancy/parental leave.
Striking employees whose leave is scheduled to start after a legal strike commences would be able to commence their leave but would not be eligible for pregnancy/parental leave top-up benefit for the duration of the strike.  
Any entitlement to other paid leave, such as bereavement, jury duty/court service, personal leave, etc. would cease to apply at the commencement of a strike for striking employees. 
A bargaining unit member who is on strike and has approved vacation scheduled during the strike will have their vacation cancelled. Employees who have had their vacation cancelled for this reason are entitled to receive payout of their vacation pay or, if preferred, will have the option to reschedule their vacation once the work stoppage ends and as operational needs permit. The maximum vacation payout available is limited to the number of days of scheduled and approved vacation. Payout of vacation would be paid on the next applicable pay date once the work stoppage ends.
Bargaining unit members who are already on an approved vacation when a work stoppage commences would remain on “vacation status” until the scheduled end of their vacation. 
Yes. There is a negotiated agreement for the union to pay all insured benefit premiums so that coverage will continue.
No. Pensionable service does not accrue during a legal strike. 
All parking lots will remain open, and the university will provide appropriate security during the legal strike / lock-out period.
Parking permits will not be suspended for legally striking or locked-out employees. Any missed payments during the period of a labour disruption will be handled in one of two ways:   
- For employees who pay for parking via payroll deductions, parking will be deducted from any partial pays, or through the payroll arrears process once the employees have returned to work. 
OR
- For employees who pay for parking permits via monthly bank withdrawals, those withdrawals will continue throughout the strike / lock-out period.   If an employee does not want to continue to pay for their parking permit, they can return it to the Commuter Services (Parking) Office. The employee will then have the option to rejoin the parking permit wait list.   
NetID access will be suspended for striking or locked-out employees, unless in instances where an employee has a concurrent other appointment (e.g. as a casual appointment) and continues to perform responsibilities under that other appointment.
Bargaining unit members using VOIP would lose telephone and Teams calling access once NetIDs are suspended. 
Departmental paid lines will remain active.
Striking / locked-out bargaining unit members will be responsible for reimbursing the department for charges incurred during the labour disruption period, or they can turn in their phone and the Department can suspend the line.
For personal QMobile lines, payments will continue via payroll deductions and/or processed via the credit cards on file should charges exceed available payroll amounts.  
For striking bargaining unit members, building access will be withdrawn using the access control system by the building manager. For buildings with key access, keys will be collected by the relevant department the business day before the strike deadline.
Conversely, an employee with another appointment who continues to perform the responsibilities of the other appointment would continue to have required building access. 
No. Bargaining unit members will not receive any retroactive payments for the period they are on strike.   
No. Striking is a legal right, and employees cannot be reprimanded for participating in a legal strike. A legal strike can occur 17 days after the Minister of Labour issues a no board with respect to a specific bargaining unit. Supervisors, and any other University personnel, cannot discipline or impose any negative repercussions on employees before, during or after engaging in a legal strike as a result of their participation in a legal strike.   
Yes, striking employees can participate in picketing; however, it’s important to understand what picketers legally can and cannot do.  
- During a strike, picketers are legally permitted to:
- Picket on public property
- Carry signs and hand out materials stating the nature of the dispute
- Speak about their concerns, but it is up to you whether or not to engage in such discussion
- Picketers are expected to allow people and cars to keep moving and allow passage, though there may be delays when crossing a picket line
However, picketers are not legally permitted to:
- Blockade roads, sidewalks, passageways or other entrances to or exits from the university
- Use force, threats or threatening gestures
- Trespass to interfere with employees who wish to work, by force or to use threats or moral pressure amounting to compulsion
- Engage in unlawful behaviour
- Picket on university property
No. Picketing may take place on public property only. In the event of a strike, no picketing will be permitted on University property. 
Yes, you are legally entitled to remain in Canada for the duration of the strike period and up until your work permit expires. If you are on maintained status, you can legally remain in Canada while you are waiting for your renewed work permit.   
In the event of a strike, T4s will be mailed from the University to all striking workers at the end of February. Employee T4 can also be accessed through . 
For Non-Striking Employees
Yes. All employees who are not in a CUPE local are required to work their normal schedule.  
The only University unions that are in a legal strike position will be CUPE 229, 254 and 1302 as of February 3 at 12:01 am. All employees who are not in a CUPE local are required to work their normal schedule. 
The open nature of campus provides the means for employees to choose alternate routes to access campus that avoids locations where picketing is occurring. It is important to note that the presence of a picket line and the need for the employee to cross it does not automatically constitute a safety risk.
For an employee to refuse to cross a picket line due to safety concerns, they must have reasonable grounds, which cannot be speculative or hypothetical, to believe their physical safety is endangered. In such circumstances, they should immediately contact the Picket Hotline at 613-533-6464 to report the circumstances and receive assistance; remain in a safe place near the work location; and inform their supervisor that they are awaiting assistance from Campus Security and Emergency Services and are unable to attend to their duties pending such assistance.     
All employees not in a striking bargaining unit are required to attend work as normal.
Any request for an alternate work arrangement will be subject to approval based on operational needs of the department consistent with established work practices and collective agreements, if applicable. 
Everyone should exercise caution and prioritize their safety when navigating picket lines. If employees who are going to work encounter delays, they should communicate, when able, with their managers. Managers should exercise flexibility to the extent they are able when employees are late for work due to navigating picket lines.
Definitions and Processes
With several certified bargaining units at Queen’s, collective bargaining is a normal part of the labour relations cycle.
Collective bargaining is a process by which a committee representing the union (made up of employees and union representatives) and a committee representing the university (made up of management representatives and managerial employees) negotiate a collective agreement.
Conciliation occurs following the submission of a request by the union or the university to the Ontario Ministry of Labour to appoint a conciliator to serve as a neutral third party to help the parties resolve their differences. The parties can also file a joint request to appoint a conciliation officer.
A request for conciliation is a common occurrence during collective bargaining.
An initial meeting with the conciliator must occur before the union can be in a position to engage in a legal strike, or the university can be in a legal position to lock-out employees in the bargaining unit.
What if the university and the union do not reach agreement during conciliation?
If a collective agreement has not been reached after the initial meeting with the conciliator, either party may request that the Minister issue a “No Board” report. While the Minister has the option at this point to appoint a Conciliation Board instead, this practice is rare, and most often the Minister will confirm that no such Board is to be appointed. The 17th calendar day after the date of the No Board report becomes the “strike deadline” date – on or after that date, the union is legally allowed to call a strike, and the university is legally allowed to lock-out employees in the bargaining unit.
If requested by either party, the Minister of Labour may issue what is known as a “No Board” report. While the Minister has the option to appoint a Conciliation Board instead, this practice is rare.
The No Board Report, from the time it is issued, starts a 17-day countdown to the legal strike date. This does not mean a strike will occur, as the parties can continue to meet and negotiate during this period, but on or after that date the union is legally allowed to call a strike, and the university is legally allowed to lock-out employees in the bargaining unit.
As bargaining discussions evolve it may become necessary to provide appropriate details on a potential labour disruption. In these instances, the University will provide additional information on this site as needed and in advance of a legal strike taking place.
Yes, a strike vote by secret ballot is required before a union can lawfully commence a strike of employees in the bargaining unit.
A union holding a strike vote is a common occurrence in collective bargaining and does not mean that a strike will occur.
All employees in a bargaining unit have the right to participate in such a vote and must have ample opportunity to cast a ballot at a reasonably convenient time and place.
The strike vote must be taken within 30 days before the collective agreement expires or at any time after the collective agreement expires. In the case of a first collective agreement, the vote must be conducted after the appointment of a conciliation officer. In either case, a majority (50% +1) of those voting by secret ballot must vote in favour of strike action in order for the union to be able to call a strike on or after the strike deadline date.
This is a vote that is conducted entirely by the union; it is not supervised by the Ministry of Labour. It is entirely up to the union as to whether it releases the specific vote results. The outcome of the vote will tell the union whether the employees in the bargaining unit authorize the union to call a strike. As a result, all bargaining unit members are encouraged to participate in the vote.
After the parties have met with a conciliator, if they have not been able to settle all outstanding matters, the conciliator will report this to the Minister of Labour. Typically, the Minister then issues a No Board report. The union is in a position to commence a legal strike at 12:01 am on the 17th calendar day after the date on the No Board report.
Yes. During a strike, the union will often form picket lines at the workplace. Picketers are legally permitted to carry signs stating the nature of the dispute, speak to people entering the property about their concerns, and ask people entering the property to join the picket line. However, picketers are not permitted to:
- picket on university property
- blockade access to the university
- Use force, threats, or threatening gestures to prevent people from coming onto university property, including students, any employee wanting to attend work and visitors
- otherwise engage in unlawful behaviour.
Yes. Any time (before or after the commencement of a strike or lock-out), the university may ask the Minister of Labour to direct a vote of the employees in the affected bargaining unit as to their acceptance or rejection of the university’s final offer on all matters remaining in dispute.
Upon the receipt of such a request, the Minister must direct that a vote, to accept or reject the university’s offer, be conducted.
The vote is supervised and conducted by Ministry of Labour officials and the result of the vote is public. This process can only be used once.
A tentative agreement means the university’s and the union’s negotiating teams have agreed to the terms of a collective agreement, but the terms have not yet been agreed to (“ratified”) by the bargaining unit members or the university’s governing body.
Ratification by the union is the process by which members of the bargaining unit vote to accept or reject the terms of the collective agreement that the university and union have negotiated. The ratification vote happens at the end of collective bargaining, after the university and the union have reached a tentative agreement.
All members of the bargaining unit have the right to vote. Each person gets one vote. The vote must be conducted by secret ballot. The collective agreement is considered “ratified” by the bargaining unit if a majority (50% +1) of those voting accept the terms of the tentative collective agreement.
A collective agreement is ratified by the university, when the tentative agreement is approved by the Human Resources sub-committee of the Board of Trustees.
Once both parties have ratified the tentative collective agreement, it is finalized and implemented.