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(TORONTO – August 30, 2011) – Unless there is an abrupt change by
management in its contract proposals community college workers will be
on picket lines effective Sept 1, the president of the union
representing staff said today.
“I’m not optimistic that a settlement can be reached by Wednesday’s
strike deadline,” said Warren (Smokey) Thomas, president of the Ontario
Public Service Employees Union which represents more than 8,000 support
workers at 24 community colleges across the province. “As we are fond of
saying, contracts are never settled on the picket line; they’re settled
at the bargaining table.
“But, regrettably, college management has given little indication
they’re prepared to do the heavy lifting that’s required to reach a
settlement.”
Speaking at a news conference in Toronto, Thomas said union
negotiators have been prepared to bargain seriously since early June
when the two sides first sat down at the contract table but their
efforts have been met with indifference by management represented by the
College Employer Council.
With less than 36 hours before their contract expires and with a the
prospect of a strike looming large Thomas said an “enviable record” of
32 years of labour peace with the community colleges by support staff
could be shattered if management fails to roll up its sleeves and
commits to reaching a deal. College support staff last took job action
in 1979.
College management is seeking several concessions and claw backs that
threaten job security of current members and the wages and benefits of
future employees of post-secondary education.
“If we cave in to the concessions and claw backs that management is
putting forward in this round of bargaining, what does that say about
the quality of employment for future graduates of Ontario’s community
colleges … these are not the conditions under which you build a strong
and prosperous province,” said Thomas.
He said the union has adopted the slogan “Good Jobs Today … Good Jobs
for Tomorrow” to guide it through the negotiating process. If management
succeeds is drawing concessions from the union the result will be a
post-secondary education system dominated by part-time, precarious and
temporary workers.
“It’s in nobody’s interest that we give in to contract demands from
management that will only harm the working conditions of future
graduates.”
More information:
Greg Hamara
OPSEU Communications
416-443-8888 ext 8777 office
647-238-9933 cell
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