The Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU), represents more than 8,000 college support workers in Ontario who walked off the job on September 1, 2011,

 after management for the 24 colleges was unwilling to reach a contract settlement.  The Telecommunications Workers Union (TWU) supports our sisters and brothers in their efforts to negotiate better job security, benefits, wages, and to stop the erosion of full-time position workers.

Despite the best efforts of the bargaining team to resume contract negotiations, college management has said it has no interest in returning to the bargaining table.  On its website and in recent media interviews, College Employer Council CEO, Don Sinclair, said management for the 24 colleges would not be returning to the table until the Colleges of Applied Arts and Technology (CAAT) Support bargaining team accepts everything management is demanding, including a lengthy list of concessions and take-aways.

“It’s really regrettable that management has slammed the door shut on the prospect that the two sides can get together and work out an agreement,” said Rod Bemister, chair of the CAAT Support bargaining team.  “It reflects the same closed-minded approach that we’ve witnessed from the colleges since early June when we first exchanged contract proposals.”

For additional information or to read more about the unfolding events, please refer to the following link:
http://www.opseu.org/caat/caat_sup/bargaining2011/bulletins/strike-bulletin-issue1.htm.