Support staff at Algonquin College, La Cité collégiale, Loyalist College and St. Lawrence College are on strike Thursday, along with all other community colleges in Ontario. 

The eight thousand members of the Ontario Public Service Employees Union went on strike at midnight after failing to reach an agreement with the colleges.

Students at Algonquin College said they don't know how the strike will affect them.

"I really don't think many students are really noticing how it affects them," said Bill McKinnon.

"I don't see any problems yet but maybe later on," said Alan Shamsedin.

The union said every department of the provinces' 24 college campuses will be affected.

"They haven't felt the full brunt of the students yet," said Rod Bemister, chairman of the OPSEU bargaining committee. "Right now, there's not a lot of traffic, not a lot of students, but come Tuesday morning, it's probably the first time they'll feel it full force and see what support staff actually mean in the colleges."

OPSEU says it went on strike after management refused to withdraw several demands for concessions and claw backs to the existing contract.

The union, which represents cleaners, registration officers and food staff, adds the colleges were reluctant to negotiate many of its proposals.

The main sticking points were wages and job security.

The colleges' offer was for union members to get a 1.5 per cent salary increase for each of the first two years and 1.75 per cent in the third year.

The union is looking for a three per cent annual wage increase and job protection against part-time and temporary hires.

The Ontario colleges say OPSEU walked away from a deal that increases the average salary for support staff to more than $59,000with no concessions.

"Very, very disappointed that we were not able to reach an agreement," said Gerry Barker, chair of the college's bargaining team. "I honestly believe that what we put on the table was a good and fair offer."

The Ontario College Student Alliance, which represents 15 colleges, said it's urging both parties to try for a settlement.

Many of the striking workers are former students themselves, saying they're doing it for the current student body.

"We're all college graduates here. . . they're going to be graduates soon," said Travis Winwood, who works in the Algonquin College library. "They're going to be going into the work force and these are important issues."

The last time college support workers went on strike was in 1979; a mandate was approved in 2008, but a work stoppage didn't happen.

With a report from CTV Ottawa's Stefan Keyes and files from The Canadian Press