Bargaining

Support staff from Ontario’s colleges ratify three-year contract

Toronto – Full-time support staff at Ontario’s 24 public community colleges ratified a new three year contract today, which includes gains in health benefits and job security.

While the Ford government’s Bill 124 unlawfully capped wage increases to one per cent for three years, preventing the union from negotiating wage increases commensurate with inflation, the bargaining team achieved improvements in other areas of their contract.

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LATEST UPDATE IN PART-TIME BARGAINING

OPSEU Part-time Support Staff Bargaining Team reach tentative agreement

The bargaining team for OPSEU/SEFPO employees in the CAAT-S PT Division is eager to begin the ratification process on the tentative agreement reached with the College Employer Council (CEC) on June 25. The date for a ratification vote will be announced soon. Read more . . .

Historic tentative agreement reached

After a long and difficult round of negotiations, your bargaining team has achieved a tentative agreement for College Support Part-time workers. This historic moment is a game-changer for all of us, and everyone who follows in our footsteps at Ontario Colleges. Read more . . .

Bargaining Update: The big push forward

The cards are now on the table, and we are ready for a big push forward.  Our monetary position – everything you want that costs money – is now being negotiated.

Read more.

REPORT FROM FIRST DAY OF BARGAINING

Here’s how the first day played out

Your bargaining team has begun bargaining our first collective agreement for College Support Part-time workers. We were well prepared with your demands for fair treatment.

We sat down with the employer and handed them our proposal, which is based on the College Support Full-time collective agreement. It included key demands as determined by our demand set meeting.  We believe our document includes some great language, which will make the colleges a better workplace for part-time support staff. A good workplace means staff can do their best work, and provide the best possible learning environment for our students.

The employer handed us a one-page document entitled “Management Concepts for Discussion”. This document states seven goals of the employer’s bargaining team, which they say will guide their decision making process. Although this document includes some messages of concern, it also has positive goals that we can agree to, such as “cooperation and problem solving through open and respectful communication”.

We have further bargaining dates on June 5, 6 and 7. Your bargaining team will be sure to be in touch with you as the negotiations process continues.

OPSEU President Warren (Smokey) Thomas sends his solidarity to all of the College Support Part-time members: “Thanks to the team and to the 20,000 members for your solidarity as the negotiations begin. Today has been a step in the right direction. Know that you have the full support of your union. We are 155,000 strong, from every community in Ontario, and we have your back.”

MEET YOUR PART-TIME SUPPORT STAFF BARGAINING TEAM

Ted Claeys, Local 124 at Lambton College, Chair
Duncan McFarlane, Local 416 at Algonquin College, Vice-chair
Jennifer Ayotte, Local 656 at Cambrian College
Christopher Millado, Local 557 at George Brown College
Connie Collins, Local 137 at St. Clair College
Janice Hagan, Local 561 at Seneca College, College Support Sector Chair

For more information

Visit www.opseu.org
Join our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/CollegeSupportPT/
Follow us on Twitter: @CAATSupport_PT #PTchange

College Support Part-time workers: OPSEU Q and A

Your bargaining team is hard at work on the first-ever collective agreement for College Support Part-time workers. The following Q and A is designed to answer some of your questions about how best to get involved, support your team, and better understand what it means to be a member of OPSEU.

Do you have further questions? Send us an email at: collegeptbarg@opseu.org

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