The proposal must still be accepted by support staff through a ratification vote. A date has not yet been set for the vote being conducted by the Ministry of Labour, but is expected in the near future.

The existing contract with 6,500 support staff at Ontario's 24 colleges expired at midnight Aug. 31. The last minute agreement averted a possible strike that could have began Sept. 1 and included about 380 workers at Sheridan College's Brampton and Oakville campuses.

Central to the three-year contract proposal is wage increases of three per cent annually. Workers previously rejected a six per cent wage increase offer over two years. The Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU), which represents college support staff, said it wanted the same kind of salary increases given college academic 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.

Details of the deal are being withheld until it is presented to union members for the ratification vote. However, the agreement reportedly also includes benefit and allowance increases.

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.

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.