Couvrette take part-timers issue to McGuinty at impromptu meeting
 

July 24 2007

Roger Couvrette, president of the Organization of Part-time and Sessional Employees of the Colleges of Applied Arts and Technology yesterday discussed the plight of part-time college workers with Premier Dalton McGuinty at a Liberal nomination meeting in Scarborough.  

Couvrette and OPSECAAT secretary-treasurer Yvette Munro were waiting for the Premier’s arrival, along with campaign staff.

Couvrette discussed the Supreme Court decision that ruled that the ‘procedural right’ to bargain collectively was included in the freedom of association provision of the Charter of Rights. The premier readily agreed that a "political solution" was preferable to forcing the issue through the courts.

Couvrette gave the premier a quick summary of the issue of part-time college workers who are denied the right to bargain collectively, cannot defend themselves from being exploited, and thus are a source of cheap and disposable labour. He pointed out that even with the ‘Reaching Higher’ program introduced by the Liberals, Ontario is still ninth out the ten provinces in funding per full-time college student; and that it is the poor wages and lack of benefits of part-time  college support staff and faculty that subsidizes the college system in Ontario.

According to Couvrette, McGuinty asked if secondary school and university part-time workers in Ontario had the right to bargain collectively and was told that indeed they did. 

McGuinty then described the situation of part-time college workers as an ‘anomaly’ and promised to follow up the discussion with cabinet colleagues.