• Wages: $2.50 year 1, 6% year 2, 6% year 3

• Adding coverage for gender affirming care

• Increasing family care leave to 10 days

• Expanding the definition of family to include non-biological family members

• Increasing holiday entitlement

• Eliminating contracting out

• Increasing benefits

• Increasing STD (Sick leave) to 20 days

• Ensuring managers shall NOT perform support staff work

• Recognizing Indigenous Knowledge as considered comparable to education requirements

• Adding 2 days of Special Leave with Pay

• Increasing drug coverage to 100% 

• Strengthening job security language

Full Proposal with suggested language:

The Union proposal includes 45 items that can be utilized in bargaining. The proposal includes the suggested language or language adjustments as well as where they can be found in our current collective. 

You can read the full outline here.

We will Not Concede:

In the last meeting the CEC (College Employer Council) only brought their non-monetary items to the table. This proposal is currently limited to what was presented. They want to:

• Weaken our job security by expediting the lay-off process;

• Remove language mandating the employer to provide data regarding lay-offs on our campuses.

• Make it more difficult for us to use the grievance process when we feel we're not being paid what we're worth. 

• Limit vacation to 15 day maximum carry over. Anything above would be "use it or lose it" without payout. 

• Double the on-call time cap from 128 hours a month to 256 hours a month – encroaching on members’ personal time and ability to have a real day off. 

Current Employer Proposal:

The employer submitted a 12 page proposal of only their non-monetary items at the first meeting. 

You can read the full proposal with language changes here. 

Please note: Each update has been summarized with the key points from each bulletin. Each update contains a link to the full bulletin. This summary is to give you a quick snap shot of where we are in bargaining. 

Update 1: June 6

In the first bargaining update the important dates were listed, our goals as a union, and our bargaining focus was discussed. 

You can read the first bargaining update here in English and French

Update 2/3: June 20

The proposal was presented to the employer and our top demands were discussed. We are aiming for:

• No Concessions & Filling Vacancies Promptly

• Protecting Our Work from Managers

• Improved Benefits (Dental, Vision, Hearing, Prescription, Fertility Coverage & Gender Affirmation Care)

• Appendix D (Sick Leave, Vacation, Access to Benefits)

• Job Security & Protection from Contracting Out

• Domestic Violence Leave and Accommodation Support

• Union Orientation & Reporting

• Realistic Language Around Technological Change

• Better Pay (Shift Premiums, On-Call Rates, Pay Bands)

In addition, the employer's proposal (non-monetary) was discussed AND Our Fight Against the Funding Crisis Narrative.

You can read the second bargaining update here in English and French. 

Update 4: June 27

Our next dates at the table are: July 8-10 & 21-24 and August 19-22 & 25-31, 2025. 

For bargaining information bookmark https://opseu.org/caatsftbargaining/

A quick recap:

• On Monday, June 23rd we held our first-ever Bargaining Town Hall – with more than 850 members joining us off the top! 

• The concessions that the employer is pushing are an attempt to disorganize our membership 

• We’ve made it very clear that we’re not going backwards. And we aren’t going to take any sort of deal that takes us in that direction. 

You can read the full bargaining update here

Update 6: July 10th 2025

We will be back at the table from July 21-24th and August 19-22 & 25-31, 2025.

The concessions that the employer continues to push are an attempt to disorganize our membership. Attacks on our job security, vacation time, and personal time are not acceptable. 

1,650 joined the town hall today and we are seeking a strike mandate from you. It is clear that we will not make progress without increasing the pressure. We are bargaining in the midst of a larger fight, one that is pivotal for the future of Ontario’s college system.

We’ve now learned that an anticipated 10,000 college faculty, support staff and admin either have, or will be laid off this year in one of the largest mass layoffs in Ontario’s history, including 1,210 full-time support staff so far.  We also know that if we don’t fight back, more cuts will come. 

The good news is, we are not alone in this fight.

You can read the full bargaining update here.

Update 7: July 14 2025

The bargaining team is requesting a strong strike mandate vote. 

A strike vote doesn’t mean that we are ceasing to bargain or that we will strike. Your bargaining team will be returning to the bargaining table on July 21st-24th, but this round of bargaining has been unlike any other: our employer is seeking language to make it easier to lay us off; wants to drastically increase the hours that support workers would have to be on call; and has failed to entertain the improvements to our  workplace that we know are necessary.

What’s more, this round of bargaining is happening in the midst of one of the largest layoffs in Ontario’s history. We know that 1,200 full-time support staff have already been laid off, and that more jobs are under threat. That’s why we’re fighting back.

The CEC responded stating the bargaining unit is escalating things unnecessarily. But they demand concessions and refuse to negotiate. 

We are calling for a strike mandate vote to show the employer that we have the strength of our membership behind us, and that we will not sit by as they sideline our proposals. Together, we must stand strong and continue to show the employer that we are united. 

If you would like to support to spread the word join an Organizing calling session this week to speak to your co-workers about how we’re going to win in this round of bargaining.

The bulletin goes on to answer a series of questions:

1. What is 'conciliation'?

2. What does a conciliation officer do?

3. What is a strike mandate vote?

4. Why do we need a strong strike mandate?

5. If we have a strong strike mandate, does this mean we will go on strike? 

6. When will the strike mandate vote be held? 

You can read the full bulletin here

You can register for the Joint Weekly College Phone Bank here

Update 8:  July 21, 2025

The strike mandate vote will be held August 13-15 via electronic vote. 

The electronic vote will be conducted by the Labour board, and all members will receive information to their email. Now that the vote dates are set, we have 4 weeks to organize for a strong “YES” mandate.

In addition to information about the strike mandate vote, this bulletin contains a chart breaking down the CEC's communication. It compares CEC claims to what the union actually proposed. 

It also contains a link to the phone bank, as well as registration for Thursday 12pm and Thursday 5pm Town Halls. 

You can read the full bulletin here.

Update 9: July 25, 2025

The team will return to the negotiation table August 19th, 2025. 

The employers concessions would: 

• Make it easier to lay us off, by removing the need to provide data to support layoffs, and removing bumping protection;

• Claw back unused vacation, and prevent it from being rolled over;

• Double on-call time, making it possible for staff to be forced to be on-call for 6 months out of the year, at $1/hour;

• Implement split shifts: allowing the employer to schedule you on and off in the same day; and

• Prevent you from filing a grievance on job classification for 2 years.

The only reason a conversation has even begun this week is because of the threat of a strike.

They know that we are getting organized. This is why we need to continue to build momentum and organize our co-workers for a strong “YES” strike mandate vote, which will be from August 13th-15th.

Our proposal  focuses on:

• Protecting out jobs

• making necessary improvements

• Protections for our most vulnerable 

Consider joining the phone tree:

• Register for phone banking – 11 a.m.

• Register for phone banking – 5 p.m.

Click here to read the full update. 

Update 10: August 1, 2025

In just under two weeks, we reach a turning point. You will have an essential decision before you: are you ready to take a stand and take back our power?

From August 13th at 12 p.m. through August 15th at 3 p.m., vote YES to deliver a powerful strike vote mandate for College Support Full-Time members across the province

A YES vote is also a vote for:

✔ Improving job security, including more bumping rights and longer recall rights

✔ Our work staying our work – not done by management;

✔ Protecting vacation accrual and personal time, especially at a time where layoffs and vacancies can increase workplace pressures;

✔ Respect for the value of our work, and the years (if not decades) we’ve put in on campuses.

Why Vote yes?

We are at risk for job security, workforce bleed, and concessions for things we have fought for throughout 57 years of bargaining. 

A high-participation, strong YES vote will support the bargaining team at the table with the full strength of the membership behind them.

We win when the employer looks over your bargaining team’s shoulder and sees thousands of us across the province standing shoulder to shoulder, ready to take it over the finish line.

How can I vote?

All voting will be by secret ballot and take place online or by phone. The Ontario Labour Relations Board (OLRB) will send your unique voter information to your college email address. Check your spam folder if you don’t see it, and contact the OLRB Help Desk number if you do not receive your voting credentials.

OLRB Help Desk

416-326-7432 (English)

416-326-0313 (French)

Hours:

August 13 – 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

August 14 – 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

August 15 – 9:30 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.

You can read the full bulletin here. 

This is a list of questions and answers asked at the August 5th 12pm and 7pm FT Bargaining Q&A sessions. The details of the speakers have been omitted for privacy.

What is a Concession?

We have spent 57 years building our collective agreement and adding to it. A concession is something we have previously bargained for (and won) that the employer wants to take away. This could be anything listed in the collective agreement, but in the context of this bargaining cycle it includes the specific items the CEC have listed in their proposal.

When Does the Strike vote open and close?

The strike vote opens August 13th at 12pm and closes August 15th at 3pm.

Who is eligible to vote in the strike mandate?

More people are eligible to vote than you think in this mandate! 

All full-time including appendix D and Appendix G, Appendix K, and anyone in a temporary management position are eligible. This includes other members who have been employees for less than 12-months.   

If you think you are eligible to vote and you are not on the vote list (ie. You did not get the email link to vote in your College email - when it is sent out), there will be a place you can connect with closer to the date to get a ballot.

Can you explain the communication from the CEC about the vacation concession?

Initially the CEC demanded that as of July1st 2026 anyone who had more than 15 days banked would immediately lose those vacation days without a payout.

Since this came up, the CEC has shifted their position on this. At the bargaining table, the team let the CEC know that in our collective it states that the employer is responsible for vacation booking- if they are scheduling vacation in a way that is resulting in overages it is the employers fault.

The CEC is now proposing a year or two of grace period before this would take effect.

As per the messaging about the bargaining team demanding more vacation days, this is misleading. The demand was to keep the current number of vacation days but allow the step increase quicker. For example, currently an employee must work 7 years before they get an extra vacation day. The proposal is to shorten the increments between steps, ie. 1-4 (instead of 1-6 years of service) you get 15 vacation days getting the increase in year 5 instead of 7.

What can I do if I am confused about the Conestoga College vacation banking system?

If you would like some advice on vacation allotment and understanding about accruing, please reach out to your HR advisor! They will take the time to sit with you and go over your banks and the accrual system.

If we were to go on strike, when would that take effect?

This is difficult to determine, it is dependent on some factors.

Ideally, we would want to be prepared for the beginning of September. The goal is to target the major impact date. The impact we are looking at now with lower enrollment is on day 10 of the semester. Day 10 is the last day students can withdrawal without penalty and receive a full refund. It would have a severe financial impact on the employer if we were to strike at that time.

There are steps before a strike, which is what makes the date difficult to determine. First there must be a strike vote, then conciliation- we do have a conciliator lined up at this time. After the conciliator, we can request the conciliators report. Once we receive that we have 16 days before we can call a strike. Then 5 days’ notice before a strike. At minimum it would be the beginning of September. But it is dependent on conciliation process.

If we went on a leave while on strike, what happens? Do we lose benefits?

If you are on leave during a strike, the college would stop paying you. Parental and maternity leave are protected so you would still receive ei/service Canada payouts but the top up from the college would not happen.

During that time, you could perform strike duties and this would allow you to get strike pay.

What is the strike pay?

$450/week for the first 3 weeks and then $550/week after that. The pay for dependents is $125.

To be qualified for strike pay you need to perform 20 hours of strike duty (for examples this could look like 4 hours/day of picket duty).

In order to receive regular strike pay you must: be a signed member, be registered in the OPSEU member portal, and set up direct deposit in the portal.

What is the local strike fund?                                        

In addition to the strike pay our local can help support financially.

We have a mandate in our local bylaws to save $2 per pay cheque for our strike fund. We do have a healthy strike fund for our local. The local would discuss together how we would disperse these funds. It would be payment in addition to the OPSEU strike pay.

Who Qualifies as a dependent?

We are waiting for the strike manual that is being updated. Once it is updated it will go out to the locals. The details about dependents will be going out with the manual. Ages and who qualifies as a dependent varies.

What does 20 hours of picketing look like?

This will depend on the local strike committee. If you perform the 20 hours of strike service you are eligible for strike pay. How the service is done and the scheduling of the service, will be determined by the local.

There will be picket captains typically who will keep track of sign in and sign out at each picket location.

You can picket at another college if that is closer to you- it doesn’t have to be your own. This also applies to other campuses. In the event of each, you will need to communicate this with your strike committee to ensure you are scheduled appropriately to be paid.

Details will come out with more information.

If I am on recall or leaving the college, how can I still support the college?

If you are leaving the college (have resigned) you can still support by talking to your colleagues, spreading the word, and participating in bargaining campaigns. If a strike occurs and you are no longer employed to the college you will not receive strike pay, but are welcome to walk the picket lines in solidarity!

If you are on recall you are still a voting member and can absolutely participate in the picket lines.

I am not sure if I am a registered member, what do I do?

Vikki Poirier (President Local 238) will be reaching out to members who are on the voters list but are not registered.

If you are unsure if you are registered, you can apply for membership (even if you have already registered) through the OPSEU website or reach out to the local gmail.

Once you fill out the registration, you will need to register in the OPSEU member portal and add your direct deposit information.

If we strike, can we picket closer to our home?

You can absolutely picket at a different campus or a different college if they are closer.  

If you live closer to another college or campus, you will need to work this out with your local in advance to ensure you are scheduled appropriately to get paid.

More Questions?

If you have questions about this process and what is involved, please feel free to reach out to the local or the bargaining team: caatsftbargaining@opseu.org or the local gmail: caat.local238@gmail.com

Save Our Colleges!

You're more than a number.

Going to college in Ontario shouldn’t make you feel like just a number. And working at one shouldn’t end as just another tally in a growing list of layoffs.

Our colleges were built to equip students to enter the workforce and, in turn, build Ontario’s future.

Today, they’re cash-grabs – because the Ford government set them up like a house of cards and walked away from its responsibility to fund them.

And as of today, nearly all of Ontario’s 24 public colleges have announced some combination of devastating program closures, campus closures, and layoffs. 

It would take $1.4 billion of immediate bridge funding to stop the cuts and save programs and jobs, and  another $1.34 billion to bring per-student funding up to the national average.

That’s significantly less than $55 billion to dig a tunnel under the 401.

• Tuition fee revenue has tripled across the colleges since 2010, while provincial funding decreased by 28%. 

• Ontario ranks dead-last among the provinces for per-student funding: $8,411 short of the national average.

• Since Ford’s election in 2018, international enrolment has tripled, while domestic enrollment is down by 20%.

• The college system accumulated a record surplus of $1 billion in 2023-24 alone. If invested like annual surpluses in years prior, that’s going to capital assets (i.e. more buildings.)

• Tuition should go back into the classroom and support services, not towards new vanity projects or administrative bloat. 

You can learn more about the campaign and join here

Stay up-to-date:

You can keep informed during the bargaining cycle by:

• CAATs FT Bargaining Hub Website

• Following OPSEU-SEFPO FT College Support on Instagram

• Following OPSEU-SEFPO FT College Support on Facebook

• Joining the team

• Support the weekly phone bank

• Staying up to date on the OPSEU website

• Checking out  OPSEU-SEFPO FT College Support's Linktree

The Highlights:

Non-Monetary items:

• More transparent hiring and classification processes 

• Standardized job descriptions 

• Career development and access to full-time opportunities 

• Shorter probationary period 

• Improved worker protections

• Stronger sexual harassment language  

Full proposal with suggested language: 

The Union's proposal contains 19 items that can be utilized during bargaining. Some of the items are new, though most are revisions or changes to previous items.

You can read the full non-monetary outline here. 

Monetary Items: 

• Wages: 6% year 1 (retroactive to Feb 1 2024), 6% year 2 (Increase February 2025)

• Adjusting wage grids to reflect the provincial minimum wage, plus $1 – to lift members beyond the baseline 

• Paid sick time for part-timers

• No loss of pay for shifts cancelled without 24 hour notice 

• Vacation pay increase/top-up based on years of service 

• Religious and cultural leave in line with the Ontario Human Rights Code (OHRC) 

• Bereavement leave inclusive of chosen family, language our full-time faculty colleagues already have 

Full proposal with suggested language: 

The Union proposal contains just under 30 items with a wage grid that can be utilized during bargaining. Many of the items are new though most are revisions or changes to previous items. 

You can read the full monetary outline here.

Please note: Each update has been summarized with the key points from each bulletin. Each update contains a link to the full bulletin. This summary is to give you a quick snap shot of where we are in bargaining. 

Update 1: February 9, 2024

In the first bargaining update the bargaining team was introduced, the non-monetary proposal was brought to the CEC, and the Bargaining In Blue campaign was launched. 

Bargaining team:

• Noor Askandar, George Brown College, Chair

• Sara McArthur, Mohawk College, Vice-Chair

• Doreen Follett, Algonquin College, Member

• Torsten Hamelin, George Brown College, Member

• Aliza Kassam, George Brown College, Member

• Paula Naylor, Sault College, Member

• Natalie Williams, Sheridan College, Member

You can read the full bargaining update here. 

Update 2: March 26, 2024

This update discloses that the monetary items will be brought to the table the following week. The Part-Time Power! drop in events are included, and a letter was sent to the CEC (due to John Tibbit's public behaviour) about the importance of stronger, proactive protections against sexual harassment and the opportunity to secure those provisions through language we have tabled in bargaining. 

You can read the letter here. 

You can read the full bargaining update here. 

Update 3: April 10, 2024

The team returned to the bargaining table, continued with the non-monetary proposal, and presented the monetary demands. The CEC did respond to the letter (see previous update) they did not continue the discussion on protections against sexual harassment in bargaining like they indicated they would. 

In addition to the bargaining table, this update also included the impact of the Part-Time Power! campaign. 

You can read the full bargaining update here. 

Update 4: June 14, 2024

This update included mention of the Paid Sick Days Campaign as well as the Fund Our Colleges petition. 

In addition the team went back to the bargaining table with frustration as the CEC did not respond (two months after presenting!) to the proposal with member priority bargaining items.

You can read the full bargaining update here. 

Update 5: July 30, 2024

The team went back to the bargaining table and noted the CEC's lack of understanding of member workload and undervaluing of our labour. Heads clashed at the table with the employer still not sharing their position. While discussion of monetary items did eventually occur, the employer continued to run the narrative of “fiscal responsibility,” and “administrative constraints.” 

In addition information about next steps and building capacity, the Fund Our Colleges campaign was discussed. 

You can read the full bargaining update here. 

Update 6: September 18, 2024

The team went back to the table and finally after 6 months the CEC responded to the monetary proposal. During this discussion the employer; 

• Tabled language detrimental to student workers

• Ignored the conversation about paid sick days

• Pushed back on EDI items,  language including chosen family in bereavement leave, and religious/cultural leave

You can read the full bargaining update here.

Update 7: December 20, 2024

This was a significant update that expressed the frustration of the employer moving backwards instead of coming together. It included town hall information, and an updated proposal for key monetary and non-monetary items. This included:

• Paid sick days – all employees who have worked 20 shifts are entitled to 5 paid sick days per calendar years, renewing every January 1st (without accumulation of unused days);

• Cancelled shifts – any Part-Time member whose shift is cancelled with less than 24-hours’ notice or who is sent home for reasons beyond their control will not lose their pay;

• Wages – 6% annual wage increases for 2024 & 2025, and ensuring no member is left making minimum wage;

• Benefits – RPT, Casual, and Temporary members to receive an amount equal to 2% of regular hourly rate in lieu of benefits;

• Vacation pay – 0-8 years of service at 6%, 9-14 years of service at 8%, 15+ years of service at 10% (effective February 2025);

• Bereavement leave – inclusion of non-biological kin and chosen family;

• Religious/cultural leave – leave without loss of pay for sincerely held religious/cultural beliefs and practices;

• Stronger sexual harassment protections – removing 15-day timeline to file a grievance for Part-Timers who have experienced workplace sexual harassment;

• Written summaries (job descriptions) – within 10 days of receipt of a member’s request, College to provide at least a written summary of job duties;

• Applicant feedback – current Part-Timer who interviews for an internal job and is deemed unsuccessful may request feedback within 15 days of notice, to be provided within 30 days of position being filled;

• Full-time consideration – regular Part-Timers to be considered internal candidates for full-time jobs;

• Transfer into bargaining unit – college workers who are transferred into the Part-Time bargaining unit will receive full seniority based on continuous service at the College.

In addition to the above, the employer conceded to only 2 paid sick days with the exclusion of many part-time members and tabled a retroactive increase of only 2% a year. 

You can read the full bargaining update here. 

Update 8: January 29, 2025

The CEC filed for conciliation (a petition to the ministry of labour to appoint a third-party to help in settling). When a conciliator is assigned dates will be set to meet. 

There has not been much progress in a year of coming to the table. The employer has failed to concede to the bare minimum and continues to hide behind a crisis to divide us and pass off a sub-par deal. 

You can read the full bargaining update here. 

Update 9: March 12, 2025

You can join the mobilization committee by reaching out to caatsptbargainingteam@gmail.com. 

Conciliation was set to begin May 1.  In addition to the update abut conciliation,  information about mobilization and next steps for CAAT-S PT was discussed. 

You can read the full bargaining update here. 

Update 10: April 29, 2025

The team went back to the conciliation on May 1- International Workers Day (May Day).

The pledge to support the bargaining team was shared along with additional ways to support bargaining- including a survey for members to allow submissions for conciliation/bargaining questions. 

You can read the full bargaining update here. 

Update 11: May 1, 2025

With the employer finally releasing member information a town hall was set for May 14. 

This update also included revised bargaining strategy with an amended proposal including: 

• A 6% general wage increase in Year 1 (retroactive to February 1, 2024);

• An additional 6% general wage in Year 2 (increase effective February 1, 2025);

• Adjusting wage grids to reflect the provincial minimum wage, plus $1 – to lift members beyond the baseline;

• Paid sick days for all part-timers;

• No loss of pay for shifts cancelled without 24 hour notice;

• Vacation pay increase/top-up based on years of service;

• Religious and cultural leave in line with the Ontario Human Rights Code (OHRC);

• Bereavement leave inclusive of chosen family, language our full-time faculty colleagues already have;

• Job descriptions and prioritized consideration for full-time opportunities

In addition, though the CEC was the one to file for conciliation, they did not engage in the process. 

To mobilize the team offered some steps for members; RSVP for the May 14 town hall, take a pledge for fair wages, and follow the team on social media ( @CollegeSupportPT on Instagram and @CollegeSupportPT on Facebook). 

You can read the full bargaining update here.

Update 12: May 29, 2025

The employer gave notice of their requested "no board" report to all part-time support staff. This was an unwarranted escalation and meant that effective from the date that report was issued by the Ministry of Labour, a 16-day countdown beings until the employer could lock us out of our work, or impose terms and conditions. 

The employer continued to disregard negotiations even though we have been working 16 months with an expired contract. In addition the CEC refused to honour retro meaning that 2024 would have a 0% wage increase.  Shameful. 

This update also includes information for the June 11th town hall. 

You can read the full bargaining update here. 

Save Our Colleges!

You're more than a number.

Going to college in Ontario shouldn’t make you feel like just a number. And working at one shouldn’t end as just another tally in a growing list of layoffs.

Our colleges were built to equip students to enter the workforce and, in turn, build Ontario’s future.

Today, they’re cash-grabs – because the Ford government set them up like a house of cards and walked away from its responsibility to fund them.

And as of today, nearly all of Ontario’s 24 public colleges have announced some combination of devastating program closures, campus closures, and layoffs. 

It would take $1.4 billion of immediate bridge funding to stop the cuts and save programs and jobs, and  another $1.34 billion to bring per-student funding up to the national average.

That’s significantly less than $55 billion to dig a tunnel under the 401.

• Tuition fee revenue has tripled across the colleges since 2010, while provincial funding decreased by 28%. 

• Ontario ranks dead-last among the provinces for per-student funding: $8,411 short of the national average.

• Since Ford’s election in 2018, international enrolment has tripled, while domestic enrollment is down by 20%.

• The college system accumulated a record surplus of $1 billion in 2023-24 alone. If invested like annual surpluses in years prior, that’s going to capital assets (i.e. more buildings.)

• Tuition should go back into the classroom and support services, not towards new vanity projects or administrative bloat. 

You can learn more about the campaign and join here

You can keep up-to-date during this bargaining cycle by:

• Following  @CollegeSupportPT on Instagram 

• Following @CollegeSupportPT on Facebook

• Reaching out with questions to caatsptbargainingteam@gmail.com

• Checking out the PT bargaining team's linktree