FOR IMMEDIATE
RELEASE
March 23, 2006
Strike continues until
colleges agree to binding arbitration,
union tells Bentley
TORONTO – The strike by 9,100
college faculty continues until college management agrees to
voluntary binding arbitration, the Ontario Public Service
Employees Union says.
Chris Bentley, Minister of
Training, Colleges and Universities said today that the strike
should end because both parties have agreed to arbitration.
This is not the case, said OPSEU bargaining team chair Ted
Montgomery.
“Mr. Bentley indicated that the
parties have agreed to arbitration,” said Montgomery. “We have
not. The union proposed arbitration. Management is insisting
on final offer selection, a process that is tantamount to
flipping a coin.
“We are not in a position to
take down picket lines without a clear agreement on voluntary
binding arbitration.
“We researched final offer
selection and in every document we found, every expert says it
is inappropriate for this type of negotiation. We will not
agree to final offer selection. We will agree to arbitration.”
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For more information:
David Cox (416) 788-9197
(cell)
