Current collective agreement expires end of next month
The Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU) has asked the Ontario Labour Relations Board (OLRB) to schedule a September strike vote for faculty at Ontario public colleges.
"We've put forward proposals that would improve academic decision-making through collegial governance and academic freedom, create fairness in how partial-load and contract faculty are treated, and support the success of students," said JP Hornick, chair of the union bargaining team.
The vote should come as no surprise to college management, given their refusal to deal with the core issues raised by faculty, said Hornick.
Under the Colleges Collective Bargaining Act, the OLRB is responsible for scheduling a strike vote when requested by the union bargaining team. The team has asked for a date in the second week of September, after faculty have returned for the fall term, said the union.
"We are asking members for a strong yes' vote to help the team push for the best deal possible," said Hornick and added the union is committed to continuing to bargain for a settlement, not a strike, but that the result of the vote will help send a clear message to management.
The OPSEU collective agreement for college faculty will expire on Sept. 30, 2017.
