Teaching professors at the University of Ottawa have voted overwhelmingly in favour of a strike mandate, their union announced Friday, September 11, in a move it calls a clear message to the administration.
What the vote showed
The Association of Teaching Professors of the University of Ottawa (ATPUO) held a five-day electronic voting period that saw exceptional participation, the union said. The result: more than 860 members voted in favour of job action, including a strike if necessary.
Support varied by bargaining unit but was strong across the board: 88.2% in the Main Unit, 73.1% in the OLBI Unit, and 100% in the Toronto-Windsor Unit.
'An unprecedented mobilization'
Nelson Arturo Ovalle Diaz, the Association's Chief Negotiator, said the numbers speak for themselves.
"This result demonstrates an unprecedented mobilization among our members," Ovalle Diaz said. "Our members are sending a clear message to the administration that they no longer accept the status quo and that current conditions have become intolerable."
What's actually at stake
The union has been seeking improvements to its working conditions since the collective agreement expired on August 31, 2025. At the centre of the dispute, according to the ATPUO, is an administration proposal to create an unlimited number of intensive teaching positions and fold them into the bargaining unit that represents regular professors, rather than teaching professors.
Luc Angers, a member of the Bargaining Committee, said the change would strip work directly from ATPUO members.
"Hundreds of teaching contracts, including permanent teaching contracts, would be taken away from ATPUO members," Angers said.
No immediate disruption to classes
Despite the strong vote, the union was quick to reassure students and the wider university community that a strike mandate does not mean classes are about to be disrupted. Instead, the ATPUO describes it as a strategic tool meant to compel the employer back to serious bargaining.
The Association is calling on the university's administration to resume negotiations immediately, in a spirit of openness, collaboration and good faith, with the stated goal of reaching an agreement that reflects the needs of the university community.
Why it matters for Ottawa
UOttawa is one of the city's largest employers and its second-largest university, and any labour disruption there would ripple through the local economy and the lives of thousands of Ottawa students and families. For now, the mandate gives the union leverage at the table rather than an active strike, but it puts pressure on the administration as bargaining continues over a contract that has already been expired for more than a year.
Sources: ATPUO (Association of Teaching Professors of the University of Ottawa) official press release
