Ontario colleges have made a comprehensive offer of settlement to extend the existing collective agreement for its academic employees. This offer is time-limited based on the parties reaching an early settlement.

The offer remains open while the Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU) deliberates and hears from its members.

"The offer is in line with recent public sector extension settlements for college support staff employees, the Ontario public service, teachers and education workers," said Sonia Del Missier, chair of the colleges' bargaining team. "The colleges considered it only fair to provide the same opportunity to its faculty as other public sector unions have received."

The four-year extension (Oct. 1, 2017, to Sept. 30, 2021) to the contract provides:

• a 7.5 per cent salary increase (1.5 per cent, two per cent, two per cent, two per cent)
• a new maximum salary of $115,094  by Oct. 1, 2020.
• the 1.5 per cent retroactive increase on April 1, 2017, is six months prior to the expiry of the current agreement resulting in a retroactive payment of up to $800
• a further lump sum payment of $500 for full-time faculty and $250 for partial load paid on Oct. 1, 2017
• expanded catastrophic drug coverage
• positive changes to pregnancy and parental leave

The colleges' bargaining team had urged OPSEU to allow its members to vote on the offer of settlement rather than hold a strike vote, but OPSEU refused. OPSEU advised it intended to hold a strike vote on Sept. 14, 2017. The union has not responded to the offer of settlement on the table.

The College Employer Council is the bargaining agent for the 24 Ontario colleges in negotiating collective agreements with unionized staff.