Last night Sault College Aviation students matched picketers across the street with their own signs of support.
In addition to Ontario Public Service Employees Union signs, the students sported signs that read, 'honk and we'll drink,' and were hastily scrawled with black marker on remnants of cardboard boxes.
But in all seriousness, said OPSEU Local 612 President Lorri Foley, they do understand why college support staff is on the picket lines and many students support OPSEU's demands.
"Many of the students at the college now are training for public sector jobs," said Foley. "They want to know there will be good quality jobs for them when they finish school."
Foley said the support workers are looking for a deal that would protect the jobs they all ready have and keep those jobs for future OPSEU members.
College management wants to be able to convert part time support staff into full time support staff and not roll over their seniority.
The union wants things to continue as they were, with the roll over of seniority, says Foley.
The union also wants to protect full time jobs while college management wants to convert them to part time jobs when ever possible.
"We need those jobs and the benefits they bring," said Foley. "We spend our money here in the community."
Foley also said that full time employees tend to stay in a job longer, bringing continuity, experience and quality to the position.
Many college support workers work in front-line positions, directly impacting the day to day lives of the students they work with.
They work in the Financial Aid Office, the Dean's Office and Internet Technology Department, for example.
At this time of year when students are starting class, there are often line-ups and much demand for these services.
Sault College agrees that the role of support staff is vital.
"We do want our people back to work," said College Director of Marketing and Advancement Susan Hunter, today. "The work they do is wonderful and we'd all like to see this resolved as soon as possible."
She also said that Sault College has hired eight new full time support workers since 2008 and is aware of the role support workers play in providing a quality education for Sault College students.
She said classes are going on and activities are proceeding as scheduled, including disbursement of financial aid loans and bursaries.
"The funds are being released and loans are being processed," Hunter said.
In some cases, if the student applied later than is recommended, it may take some time for the Ontario Student Assistance Program office to process the loan and send it out, she said.
That is no different this year than it is any other year.
Also this year, as in past years, a student food bank (generously supported by the support staff and others) and special loans are available for students in need, added Hunter.
With no bargaining sessions scheduled and no talks planned the length of this strike is anyone's guess.
Some students, like the aviation students, are bound to feel the impact more than others.
While college managers can process student loans they cannot service the airplanes needed by aviation students so they can log the flight time needed to pass the course.
This is an unavoidable but regrettable consequence of the necessary labour action chosen by OPSEU, said Foley.
"We want to be in there," she said while gesturing toward the college. "We want to be with our kids and we want to see them succeed."
Foley said the union is willing to negotiate on any of the outstanding issues and has told the negotiators working on behalf of the colleges.
"Now it's up to them," she said.
She wasn't optimistic that they would be back to the table soon, though.
Every day the strike continues the colleges save millions of dollars and the colleges don't seem to be in much of a hurry to get back to the table.