Striking faculty from Fanshawe College march down Richmond St., October 26, 2017. (Photo by Miranda Chant, Blackburn News)Striking faculty from Fanshawe College march down Richmond St., October 26, 2017. (Photo by Miranda Chant, Blackburn News)
London

College Faculty Get Wage Increase, Academic Freedom

Four weeks after striking faculty at Ontario's 24 public colleges were ordered back to work, details of the binding arbitration award have been handed down.

Arbitrator William Kaplan released his ruling in the labour dispute Wednesday, forming the new collective agreement for the province's college faculty. The decision formally ends the deadlock in talks between the Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU) and the College Employer Council.

Highlights of the new deal include a four-year contract with a salary increase of 1.75% in the first year followed be yearly increases of 2%, establishment of a seniority system for partial-load faculty who teach seven to 12 hours per week through the use of a registry, and academic freedom that allows faculty to inquire about, investigate, pursue, teach, and speak freely about academic issues without fear of impairment to position or other reprisal.

"Faculty did not set out to go on strike, but we can feel a sense of relief in the resolution," said Darryl Bedford, OPSEU bargaining team member and Fanshawe College information technology instructor. "Our members' overwhelming rejection of the College Employer Council's offer opened the path to this landmark award. Kaplan's decision recognizes that colleges have changed over the last 50 years. It is time to prepare for the next 50 years with better outcomes for students and faculty alike."

The College Employer Council has also indicated it is pleased with the arbitrator's decision.

"We have a workable award that is in the best interests of all parties and we want to thank the arbitrator for his efforts," said Sonia Del Missier, chair of the Colleges' Bargaining Team. "The arbitrator's award preserves the ability of colleges to be responsive to local economic needs in a timely and flexible way."

Del Missier said moving forward, the colleges will be focused on rebuilding a positive working relationship with faculty.

Classes for more than half a million students were cancelled for five weeks after college instructors, counsellors, and librarians walked off the job on October 16. The main sticking point for faculty was academic freedom and a better split of full time and contract positions.

Faculty returned to work on November 21 after the Ontario legislature passed back-to-work legislation in a rare weekend sitting.

Mediation with Kaplan and the two sides of the labour dispute were held over three days last week.

Despite the positive outcome of the arbitration, OPSEU was quick to point out Wednesday that a deal could have been reached at the bargaining table if the colleges had displayed “even the slightest” concern for students and staff.

“With any reasonable amount of cooperation from the colleges, there would never have been a strike, students would not have had to worry about losing their semester, and faculty would never have lost five weeks’ pay," said JP Hornick, chair of the OPSEU college faculty bargaining team. “Faculty are the real leaders trying to improve the college system, and I am immensely proud that we stood up for fairness for all faculty and a higher quality of education for our students.”

Going forward, a new government-run task force will be created to make recommendations on staffing models such as faculty complement and precarious work, college funding, student success, and governance issues.

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