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April 3, 2009
 

Colleges continue to block vote count at Labour Board

Colleges fail to provide key information; next meeting set for June 12

Ontario’s colleges still won’t agree to open the ballot boxes from the union certification vote that took place two months ago.

Under the Colleges Collective Bargaining Act, 35 per cent of a bargaining unit must sign union cards in order for a certification vote to be counted. In December 2008, OPSEU presented the OLRB with thousands of signed cards – far in excess of 35 per cent – and the OLRB ordered the vote.

The colleges are disputing whether the union actually had 35 per cent to start with.

The colleges are using a technical argument to prevent the OLRB from counting the ballots.  They are taking advantage of the high turnover rate of part time academics to argue that many of the card signers were not working at the time of OPSEU’s application to the OLRB last December.  This would result in many of the signed cards not counting for the purpose of the 35 per cent threshold.

“Basically, it’s a strategy to have the application dismissed without counting the vote,” says Connie Huziak, lead organizing representative. “The colleges are saying that they will not agree to count the votes until they challenge the eligibility of every card-signer.”

 In February, the Ontario Labour Relations Board (OLRB) ordered the colleges to provide the union with start dates, end dates, and employment status for all part-timers and sessionals. The colleges provided only some of the information. In a meeting March 31, the OLRB gave the colleges more time to provide the rest. The OLRB has scheduled a number of meeting dates throughout the summer and into the fall.  The first of several meetings on the issue has been set for June 12.

 “The colleges see delay as a victory,” Huziak said. The union will use every legal means to get the votes counted soon. The struggle continues.

Card-signing continues for part-time support staff

The drive to win union representation for part-time support staff continues at colleges right across Ontario. If you have not yet signed a card, visit www.collegeworkers.org  or call  1-866-811-7274 to find out how. You may also sign a card by contacting the OPSEU support staff local at your college. Call OPSEUdirect at 1-800-268-7376 for contact information.

For full information about the OPSEU drive to win union rights for part-timers and sessionals at Ontario’s community colleges, visit www.collegeworkers.org  or call 1-866-811-7274.

The Part-Time Times is authorized for distribution by Warren (Smokey) Thomas, president, Ontario Public Service Employees Union.

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