News Releases    

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 9, 2003

College faculty reject contract by 98 per cent

TORONTO – Academic staff at all 24 Ontario community colleges have rejected a contract offer by a margin of 98 per cent.

In a vote held yesterday across the province, the 7,500 teachers, counselors and librarians showed their opposition to an employer attack on the colleges’ workload formula. That formula, achieved after a strike in 1984, defines faculty assignments in a way to enhance the quality of education offered in the colleges.

Ted Montgomery, chair of the Ontario Public Service Employees Union bargaining team, said the vote gives the team leverage to return to negotiations and bargain realistically.

“The onus is on the colleges to table more reasonable proposals, not take-aways, and to address the real needs of college faculty and students,” Montgomery said. “Our workload language is essential to stop the erosion of quality education and training.

“We must ensure a workload system that gives every student a fair opportunity to reap the benefits of a good college education. We have to end the work-related burnout of good staff and an over-reliance on part-time and temporary faculty.”

The faculty contract expires Aug. 31, as does a second contract covering 7,000 support staff. Both groups are represented by OPSEU. This round of bargaining is critical, as the “double cohort” of students graduating from Grades 12 and 13 will be starting their post-secondary schooling in September. If the two contracts cannot be negotiated across the table, there is a potential for serious labour disruption in the college system.

– 30 –

For further information:

Katie FitzRandolph: 416-448-7440 or cell 416-788-9057 or kfitzrandolph@opseu.org