Ontario’s Colleges are seeking conciliation in their effort to reach a new deal with the union representing their academic employees.
It comes after mediated talks ended with the mediator criticizing the Ontario Public Service Employee’s Union’s CAAT-A team and its approach to bargaining and the demands put forward.
A three-year agreement has been proposed by the College Employer Council, the College’s bargaining group. The Council says it includes pay increases, no concessions and new committees focusing on areas of shared interest.
The Council has also filed a complaint with the Ontario Labour Board against the union, claiming it’s not bargaining in good faith.
“It has become clear to us that the CAAT-A team has no interest in bargaining a renewal collective agreement with the CEC which is why we have requested that the Ontario Labour Board find that the CAAT-A team is not bargaining in good faith. Even mediator Keller recognized this in his report saying that the CAAT-A team’s strategy is faulty if their goal is to achieve a renewal collective agreement,” said Chief Executive Officer, Graham Lloyd, in a statement.
Lloyd says the Council has made three offers since February.
College professors, instructors, librarians and counsellors have been working without a new contract since September.
