A high‑stakes municipal election collides with a moment of deep uncertainty for Ontario’s colleges. In this two‑part episode, Local 417 President Gillian Axten breaks down what candidates in Kingston, Brockville, and Cornwall are saying about campus cuts, the Fleming merger, and the future of regional postsecondary education. Then, longtime graphic design faculty member and mindfulness practitioner Erin Boyce joins Julie for a conversation about educator burnout, trauma‑sensitive wellness, and the small rituals that keep us grounded. Plus: sourdough, gravel bikes, and Erin’s past life as a Kingston vocalist.

• 00:00 — Opening & Episode Overview
  Julie sets the stage for a two‑part conversation on municipal advocacy and educator wellness.
• 00:28 — Municipal Elections & College Crisis
  Why this election matters for Kingston, Brockville, and Cornwall campuses.
• 03:13 — Introducing Gillian Axten
  Local 417 President joins to discuss the union’s municipal strategy.
• 03:59 — Why Faculty & Support Staff Are Working Together
  Gillian explains the goals behind the candidate questionnaire.
• 06:20 — Why Brockville & Cornwall Are at a Breaking Point
  The economic lifeblood of smaller campuses—and what’s at risk.
• 08:47 — Early Candidate Responses (Brockville & Cornwall)
  What candidates are saying about cuts, campus underutilization, and local industry needs.
• 11:24 — Kingston Candidate Insights
  Culinary, tourism, trades, and the impact of program loss.
• 12:54 — How Members Can Use the Friday Digest
  Where to find full responses and how to engage candidates at the door.
• 14:18 — Should the College Be Leading This Work?
  Gillian’s candid take on funding, transparency, and collaboration.
• 15:59 — The Merger Table: Seat but No Dinner
  Updates on the union’s role in merger discussions.
• 17:12 — Segment Two: Introducing Erin Boyce
  Educator, designer, mindfulness practitioner.
• 17:34 — Rapid‑Fire Warm‑Up
  Coffee, bedtime rituals, books, sourdough, biking, and Erin’s band days.
• 23:02 — Erin’s Path to Teaching
  From Toronto’s design scene to SLC faculty.
• 27:26 — Graphic Design in the Age of AI
  Why design principles matter more than ever.
• 28:48 — Wellness in Education Today
  Burnout, uncertainty, and systemic pressures.
• 32:17 — What Educators Can Do Now
  Community, self‑compassion, and trauma‑sensitive mindfulness.
• 35:10 — Closing Reflections
  Naming our worth, noticing our needs.

Links of Interest: Patrice Palmer's Teacher Self Care Manual (second ed)

SLC Faculty Local 417 website

A merger, a messaging pivot, and a historic bargaining fight. Host Julie White speaks with Local 417 President Gillian Axten and Provincial Part-Time/Sessional Bargaining Team Vice Chair Greg Dickson to unpack some of what’s happening across Ontario’s colleges.

Gillian analyzes the Oct. 5 Ontario Morning segment where St Lawrence College's President & CEO spoke with Ramraajh Sharvendiran about the upcoming college merger. The segment also featured Local 351 President Marcia Steeves from Fleming College.

• The sudden shift to “rural college” branding
• Cuts in Brockville and Cornwall despite rural messaging
• Growth claims vs. real job losses and program suspensions
• StrategyCorp’s influence on efficiency measures and integration
• Curriculum transfer concerns: placements, credentialing, workload
• The union’s successful push for a seat at the planning table

Greg Dickson reports from the sixth bargaining session for part‑time and sessional faculty:

• No new proposals from the CEC
• No answers to union questions
• New union language tabled on health & safety and Union College Committees
• Protections against reprisal for reporting unsafe labs
• Why coordinated power across all CAAT divisions matters this round

• Complete the Provincial Academic Bargaining Survey
• Watch for merger task‑force updates
• Be aware that integration emails route through StrategyCorp, not local management

00:00 – Intro: Rural branding & merger framing
00:27 – CBC interview recap
03:10 – Cuts vs. rural messaging
05:34 – Growth narrative vs. job losses
07:52 – Behind‑the‑scenes planning
10:18 – Curriculum transfer & placements
13:10 – Guarantees for students vs. staff
15:37 – Partial‑load reductions
17:06 – Rural campuses as anchors
18:13 – Gillian’s takeaway
21:55 – Bargaining survey push
24:18 – Integration emails → StrategyCorp
25:12 – Provincial bargaining segment
25:42 – No new proposals from CEC
27:42 – Health & safety language
29:30 – Lab overcrowding & reprisal protections
31:25 – Union College Committees

Relevant Links:
🔗 Hear Glenn Vollebregt and Marcia Steeves talk about the Merger
CBC Ontario Morning segment with Ramraajh Sharvendiran

🔗 Provincial FT/PL Academic Bargaining Survey (closes Friday)
Bargaining Survey 2027

🔗 CAAT-A PT/SL Bargaining Hub (see what's been tabled)
PT SL Bargaining Hub

In this episode of CAAT Tales, Julie breaks down the September 29 "Integration Engagement" email and what it really means for faculty and support staff at St. Lawrence College. Local 417 President Gillian Axten and Local 418 Support President Amanda Shaw unpack the survey, the lack of transparency, and the growing precarity facing workers during the SLC–Fleming integration.

This episode also tackles two major faculty responsibilities at St. Lawrence College: conflict of interest (COI) disclosure and maintaining professional currency under AC407. Julie sits down with Local 417 President Gillian Axten and Lead Steward John Holmes to break down what counts as outside work, when disclosure is required, and how faculty can navigate the overlap between real‑world practice and college policy.

Then, in our Steward Profile series, we meet Owais Aziz, whose journey from student activism to disaster‑relief medicine to teaching at SLC reveals a life shaped by courage, community, and deep commitment to collective care.

Plus: the latest 411 on 417, including a fall GMM save‑the‑date and a reminder to complete the faculty demand‑set survey.

Links of Interest:

Send your thoughts on the college merger to: integration@sl.on.ca

Fill out the college's survey: https://www.stlawrencecollege.ca/integration

AC 407

FT/PL Demand Set Survey (PT and SL are welcome to complete it too!)

In this episode, we site down with Ben McCarthy (Part-Time Academic Lead Steward, OPSEU Local 556) to unpack the growing movement toward coordinated bargaining across Ontario's 24 public colleges -- why the silos are cracking, what's shifting at the bargaining table, and how the rank-and-file members can strengthen this sector-wide strategy.

Later in the episode, Julie is joined by Local 417 President Gillian Axten and Lead Steward John Holmes for a deep dive into Winter SWF season: evaluation factors, overtime traps, cross-campus assignments, and what faculty need to watch as the draft SWFs roll out.

Links of interest: CAAT-A Collective Agreement

Connect with a Steward here

“We’ve been stuck in a stalemate… fighting to get a seat at the table.”
“There is obviously an ongoing theme that we don’t know some things yet.”

This special edition of CAAT Tales brings together all four OPSEU Local Presidents from St. Lawrence College and Fleming College to respond directly to the questions raised during the historic Sept. 10 joint town hall — a gathering that drew hundreds of faculty and support staff across both institutions.

With the proposed April 1, 2027 merger looming, and with workers still shut out of planning discussions, this episode offers the clearest picture yet of what the presidents know, what they don’t, and what they’re fighting for.

Featuring:

• Marcia Steeves, Local 351 (Support – SLC)
• Amanda Shaw, Local 418 (Support – SLC)
• Michael Benedict, Local 352 (Academic – SLC)
• Gillian Axten, Local 417 (Academic – Fleming)

Together, they tackle your questions about OPSEU’s role, legal challenges, employment stability, program futures, political pressure, and how members can stay informed in a rapidly shifting landscape.

Three conversations shaping the year ahead: what the 2027 Bargaining Survey means for faculty, the story of a new steward stepping up during uncertainty, and how to keep colleges on the radar during municipal elections.

Local 417 President Gillian Axten explains why this year’s survey matters more than ever as St. Lawrence and Fleming become Ontario’s merger test case. We cover ranked priorities, job security, working conditions, precarity, and how member participation shapes the next collective agreement.

Meet new steward Houcine Houssa. From Morocco to engineering, manufacturing, and now teaching, Houcine shares his path, his passion for training and mentorship, and why he’s stepping into union and health & safety work during a time of change.

A practical guide to speaking with municipal candidates about our colleges. Key issues, essential questions, and how to keep public education on the radar throughout the campaign.

A first‑of‑its‑kind conversation in Ontario’s college sector. This special CAAT Tales episode is a recording of a historic joint town hall Sept 10, 2026 featuring all four OPSEU Local Presidents from St. Lawrence College and Fleming College.

Together, they confront the uncertainty, urgency, and emotion surrounding the unprecedented merger of the two institutions — a merger they learned about “five minutes after it went to press.”

Across academic and support staff perspectives, the presidents speak candidly about:

• the absence of meaningful consultation with the Colleges,
• the grievances and unfair labour practice complaints already filed,
• the looming OCAS deadlines and the fear of decisions being made without worker input,
• the risks to small campuses, workloads, pedagogy, and program delivery,
• and the growing need for solidarity, visibility, and community pressure.

It’s raw, direct, and deeply human — a landmark moment of transparency and collective resolve as workers navigate the largest structural shift in Ontario colleges in decades. Do you have questions you want the presidents to address in future episodes? Email them, or send a message to julie.white@slcfaculty.ca

Our Members Matter spotlight features Mark Coulas, Applied Sciences professor and 50‑time blood donor. Mark’s story of quiet community care — and the stranger who thanked him for saving his life — is a reminder of how small acts add up to something extraordinary.

Learn more or book your own appointment with Canadian Blood Services:
https://www.blood.ca
https://www.blood.ca/en/blood/donating-blood (blood.ca in Bing)

We also welcome Karen Ducharme, one of Local 417’s newest stewards, for a rapid‑fire segment that’s equal parts hilarious and heartfelt — including the unforgettable story of the Oprah link mix‑up during COVID.

Reminder: Watch your union communications for details on the September 10 Joint Town Hall with the academic and support staff presidents from SLC and Fleming. A special episode will follow for anyone who can’t attend.

00:00 — Welcome & Episode Overview