Labour negotiations between the College Employer Council and college support workers locally and across the province have stalled.
This is due to what the CEC stated in a bargaining update Monday was an ‘ultimatum’ tabled by the union, which it says ‘reversed’ course on progress made during mediation talks over the weekend.
Changes on the table included improvements to contracting out and tech change protections, increased wages, on-call pay, and bereavement leave.
However, the council stated OPSEU went back on two of those ‘poison pills,’ asking for a ban on all contracting out unless explicitly approved by the union and restrictions on collaborative work that would hinder service delivery to students and grind operations to a halt.
CEC officials say support staff employees already have protections in these areas.
CEC has asked OPSEU to share the CEC proposals and accompanying documents with the full-time support staff membership so they can see the full scope of what is being offered.
The full bargaining update statement can be read here.
(BROCK ORMOND)


