What’s Happening?
Ontario’s college professors, librarians, and counsellors (faculty) are part of the College of Applied Arts and Technology – Academic (CAAT-A). OPSEU, the Ontario Public Service Employees Union represent them. Their working conditions, like job roles and benefits, are all governed by a Collective Agreement. This employment contract is between faculty and Ontario’s colleges, which are represented by the College Employer Council (CEC). The current agreement expired on September 30, 2024.
Since July 15, 2024, OPSEU and the CEC have been meeting regularly to negotiate a new Collective Agreement. They’ve discussed key changes, offered proposals, and counter-proposed, all to strengthen and make Ontario’s colleges stronger and fairer for both faculty and students.
Latest Updates
December 14, 2024:
As 2024 comes to a close, college faculty contract negotiations are still ongoing between the Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU) and the College Employer Council (CEC). Both parties entered mediation and agreed to extend talks into the new year, with mediation sessions scheduled for January 6-7, 2025.
OPSEU, the union representing full-time and partial-load professors, instructors, and librarians, has requested a “no board” report from the Ministry of Labour. A no board report is formal legal notice, issued by the Minister of Labour. It begins a 16-day countdown before labour action, or a lockout, can commence. It is expected that both the OPSEU and the CEC will continue to bargain in good faith and attempt to reach an agreement.
For more information on ongoing negations, click here to view the most recent press releases from OPSEU and here to view the most recent updates from the CEC.
What does this mean for students?
This means that we continue to wait and monitor the situation as negotiations continue between both parties. We cannot say that an Ontario-wide college faculty strike will or will not happen, but it is a possibility. There is no immediate action for students to take at this time.
CCSAI will continue monitoring the situation into the new year and provide updates as they arise.
December 6-8, 2024:
As of November 5, the College Employer Council (CEC) and CAAT-A the bargaining team representing faculty, librarians, and counsellors at Ontario colleges concluded their last day of conciliation—a formal mediation step. Both parties have now agreed to enter non-binding mediation with experienced mediator William Kaplan from December 6 to December 8. Both sides have committed not to request a no-board report or initiate job action before or during this mediation period.
We’re hopeful that both parties can reach a fair and equitable agreement for all, without impacting the learning experience for students in Ontario.
October 15-17, 2024:
A strike mandate vote was held, and more than 11,800 OPSEU members (79 percent) voted to authorize strike action, if necessary, to reach a fair agreement. This does not mean an immediate strike but permits potential action if negotiations fail.
The College Employer Council (CEC) has offered mediation-interest arbitration, a process that the Union has recognized as a common way to resolve the issues.
Ongoing – July to October:
The bargaining process continued. Both sides exchanged proposals they felt would improve the Collective Agreement. Further negotiations continued to try and amend the Collective Agreement to satisfy both sides.
July 15-16, 2024:
OPSEU and the CEC began the bargaining process. OPSEU provided proposals to the CEC focused on workload, partial-load employees, and coordinators
Student Support Resources
Here are a few resources provided by CCSAI that you can access for support during the ongoing faculty bargaining.
Speak with a student advocate to get personalized guidance and understand your rights and resources during the strike.
Leave a note in our suggestion box outlining how a the faculty Bargaining is impacting you or your peers.
You can reach out to your Board of Directors to voice concerns, ask questions, or offer feedback about how the strike is impacting you.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a strike?
Strikes are peaceful protests by employees seeking better working conditions or other changes to their collective agreement. The objective of a strike is to put pressure on the employer in collective bargaining. A strike is often labour groups most powerful and useful tool. Timelines of a strike vary - they may last for a day or for an extended period of time.
What is a lock-out?
A lock-out is when an employer (the Colleges) locks the doors of the business or prevents the employees from working, causing a work stoppage. The CEC has previously
stated in 2021 they would not lock-out CAAT-A members, and we expect this to be the same this year.
What is the first possible day for a strike, lock-out, or other labour action?
The first possible date for a strike, lock-out, or other labour action is currently unknown.
Since the Collective Agreement has expired, the union representing College faculty may not to strike at anytime.
How long might a strike last?
Strikes can last anywhere from a single day to several weeks. For example, in 2017, the union participated in a full walk-out that continued for over five weeks, yet students were still able to finish their semester.
Will I be able to access campus during a full walk-out strike?
Yes, campuses typically remain open during strikes. Picket lines cannot block access for those wishing to enter. If a full walk-out occurs, the College will provide information on how to safely access the campus.
What should I do if a strike occurs?
Check the College's website for updates regarding the labor dispute. If you plan to visit campus, allow extra time for travel, as picket lines may affect traffic flow. In the case of a full walk-out strike, be aware that transit services may drop students off outside campus to honor picket lines.
Will CCSAI still be available during the strike?
YES! We are developing plans to support students in the event of a strike and will provide updates as soon as a plan is established.
What should I expect if there is a strike, and I cross the picket line to access campus?
You should expect there to be delays to access campus. Faculty will normally speak to you briefly about why they are striking. Be respectful, do not force your way through a picket line, and remember this is their legal right.
If a strike happens, will it impact my International Student visa?
The strike should not impact your visa, but you should pay attention to updates from the colleges.
You should continue to pursue your studies using the resources you have available. If you need to extend your study permit, contact the International Office and speak with an Advisor
Key Terms
College Employer Council (CEC)
The College Employer Council (CEC) is the bargaining arm of 24 Ontario colleges. They are responsible for representing the interests of the college through the bargaining process. Negotiations are between a union of over 15,000 faculty members at colleges across Ontario and the CEC, which represents the employers.
College of Applied Art and Technology, Academic (CAAT-A)
CAAT-A is the bargaining arm of the union, which represents the faculty, librarians and counsellors at colleges in Ontario.
OPSEU
The Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU) is the union which represents public service employees in Ontario. Among the workers OPSEU represents are college professors, librarians and counsellors in Ontario. CAAT-A is a part of OPSEU, but refers specifically to the negotiating party involved in developing the new collective agreement.
Collective Agreement
The agreement between the employer (CEC) and the union (CAAT-A). The previous collective agreement expired in September 2021.
Strike Vote
A Strike Vote – often referred to as a Strike Authorization Vote – is a vote that must pass before labour action can be enacted. It’s important to note that just because a strike vote is passed, that doesn’t mean a strike is inevitable, only that it gives the union the option to strike.
Work-to-rule
Work-to-rule is a form of labour action in which the members of the union will do no more than the bare minimum required as outlined by their job description. On December 18, union faculty began a period of work-to-rule. The full extent of how this will affect GBC students is not yet known, but it will likely mean delayed response times from professors and less access outside of office hours.
Binding Interest Arbitration
A mediation strategy proposed by CAAT-A. This process would involve a third party arbitrator reviewing each side’s demands and coming up with a compromise between them. Both sides would then be locked into what the arbitrator decides. CAAT-A offered this resolution strategy but the CEC declined it.
Final Offer Selection
Similar to binding interest arbitration, final offer selection is a resolution process in which a neutral third party is brought in. It differs from binding interest arbitration in that instead of the mediator compromising the demands of both parties, they will only select one set of demands in its entirety. This method was endorsed by the CEC but CAAT-A did not agree to it.
