John Abbott College teachers denounce toxic workplace

“A dark cloud hangs over the start of the 2026 school year,” said Maria Mastorakos, president of the John Abbott College Faculty Association.

She said no one has been assigned full time to the college's Human Resources Department since January, and accused the administration of launching what she called baseless attacks against faculty members who serve on the Academic Council and Board of Governors.

Mastorakos said the disputes are undermining academic freedom and collegiality, and that declining teacher morale, could ultimately affect students.

The union says an internal document obtained through access-to-information legislation provides evidence that concerns extend beyond the faculty association. Employees asked to describe John Abbott's institutional culture used terms including “problematic,” “oppressive,” “disrespectful,” “dysfunctional,” “tense,” “discouraging,” “demoralizing” and “toxic,” according to the union.

Yves de Repentigny, vice president responsible for the CEGEP sector at the Fédération nationale des enseignantes et des enseignants du Québec, said the situation had reached the point where the minister should speak directly with the administration.

“The College must be given the means to restore labour peace,” he said.

The union is calling for an end to what it describes as retaliation against teachers involved in college governance, compliance with collective-agreement obligations concerning the hiring of teaching staff, good faith negotiations to resolve outstanding grievances, and a functioning human resources department.

Bertrand Guibord, president of the Conseil central du Montréal métropolitain, said the administration's approach was damaging the college's reputation in the West Island's anglophone community and could make it harder to recruit qualified employees.

In response, John Abbott said it remains committed to a “positive, respectful, and supportive environment” for students and employees and to initiatives aimed at their wellness and success.

The college said ongoing employee disagreements are being addressed through grievance procedures established under collective agreements.

John Abbott also said it takes employee feedback seriously and regularly surveys its workforce to help inform institutional practices, priorities, and decision-making. The administration said those surveys have consistently recorded employee satisfaction rates above 90 per cent.

The contrasting accounts point to a significant divide over the state of labour relations at the CEGEP. The union says employee comments obtained through access-to-information legislation demonstrate a deeply troubled workplace, while the administration points to its employee surveys as evidence that most staff remain satisfied.

The administration has, however, acknowledged workplace wellbeing as an area requiring attention. Its current mental health action plan, based in part on an employee survey, reports generally positive results while identifying areas where employees' perception that their mental health and well-being are being prioritized could improve.

The college said it remains committed to “respectful engagement, constructive dialogue” and the continued wellbeing of its students and employees.

The dispute now moves into the new academic year with the union seeking outside intervention, and the administration maintaining that existing labour-relations mechanisms are addressing disagreements.

The Fédération nationale des enseignantes et des enseignants du Québec represents about 40,000 members at CEGEPs, private institutions, and universities across Quebec. The John Abbott faculty association is affiliated with the federation and the CSN's Montreal metropolitan central council.