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The Brampton Guardian
College workers reach tentative deal
Wednesday September 3 2008
ROGER BELGRAVE
Ontario colleges averted a walkout by 6,500 support staff with a tentative new contract agreement reached this past weekend.

The existing contract with staff at Ontario’s 24 colleges, including about 380 at Sheridan College campuses in Brampton and Oakville, expired Sunday at midnight. The Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU), which represents the workers at the negotiating table, was preparing to strike just as classes resumed Tuesday.

However, negotiators for the union and the Colleges Compensation and Appointments Council, which represents colleges, reportedly reached a tentative agreement Sunday.

Details of the deal are being withheld until it is presented to union members for a vote.
Workers previously rejected a six per cent wage increase offer over two years. Support staff are non-academic employees that include child care personnel, maintenance workers, cleaners, technology staff, student advisors, registration personnel, clerical staff and financial aid officers.

OPSEU said it wanted support staff to receive the same kind of salary increases given other college staff.

In June 2006, an arbitrator gave college academic staff a 13.5 per cent wage increase over four years. That contract ends Aug. 31, 2009 and came after a 17-day strike by college faculty.

College management noted those wage increases were imposed by an arbitrator and not negotiated at the bargaining table. Management also appeared unwilling to compare support staff and academic staff wages at the bargaining table.

More information, about negotiations can be found online at the union’s Web site at www.opseu.org and the council site at www.thecouncil.on.ca.