Hamilton's Mohawk College cut 127 jobs in layoffs this week

Mohawk College says it has eliminated 127 more jobs as part of a broad cost-cutting effort at the Hamilton institution.

The college informed workers Friday that in its latest round of layoffs, focused on support staff, it cut 102 jobs, or about 20 per cent of its full-time support staff.

Those cuts consisted of 26 vacancies that will not be filled, 12 early retirements, two people who took a voluntary exit package, and 62 who lost their jobs through the layoff process, Mohawk spokesperson Sean Coffey said. 

The college also cut 25 part-time support staff positions, representing about 20 per cent of that workforce as well, Coffey told CBC Hamilton in an email. 

Layoffs involve Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU) Local 241, which represents the group including people who work in information technology, facilities services and campus stores.

The college said in an internal memo on Monday that layoff notices were expected to go out this past Tuesday.

In November, Mohawk announced it would laying off 200-400 workers in an effort to make up for a projected $50 million deficit, on which college president Paul Armstrong blamed government policies, including a limit on the number of international students.  

At the time, OPSEU Local 241 president Susan Lau told CBC Hamilton the situation has caused "a lot of anxiety, a lot of stress and a lot of worry."

Mohawk cut 20 per cent of administrative jobs in December and suspended over a dozen programs.

Faculty layoffs are also expected but the college has not said when those would take place. 

Earlier this week, Toronto's Centennial College said it was suspending a substantial number of programs as it also deals with the fallout of the federal government's cap on international study permits. The college is putting 49 programs on hold, representing a roughly 28 per cent reduction from its previous offering of 177 programs, it said.