Back-to-work legislation passes, Ontario college strike ends

(OPSEU)

Ontario has passed legislation to end the college labour dispute and return Ontario college students to the classroom.

Government officials say the Colleges of Applied Arts and Technology Labour Dispute Resolution Act, 2017 governs the labour dispute between the College Employer Council and the Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU) college academic unit.

All outstanding issues are to be referred to binding mediation-arbitration.

The College Employer Council and OPSEU have five days to agree on a mediator-arbitrator, or one will be appointed by the Minister of Labour, government officials stated.

“Our government respects and believes in the collective bargaining process,” stated Kevin Flynn, Minister of Labour.

“It is only in special circumstances that government intervention should occur. Through all of this, our focus has been on students and their learning. We want to see students back in the classroom as quickly as possible so that they can continue their education while an agreement is reached.”

The government has also instructed colleges to establish a dedicated fund with net savings from the strike.

The fund will be used to support students who have experienced financial hardships as a result of the strike, and its parameters will be developed in direct consultation with students.

“Students were in the middle of the strike for too long,” stated Deb Matthews, Deputy Premier, Minister of Advanced Education and Skills Development and Minister Responsible for Digital Government.

“We needed to put students first, and get them back to their studies. This legislation ensures students can get back to the classroom and refocus on their education.”

More details:

– The collective agreement between the College Employer Council and OPSEU expired on September 30, 2017.

– The strike by approximately 12,225 faculty (composed of professors, instructors, counsellors and librarians) began on October 16, 2017 and affected all 24 colleges in Ontario.

– The mediator-arbitrator will have the exclusive power to determine all matters necessary to conclude a new collective agreement, and also will have the ability to assist the parties in settling any related matter.

The legislation passed by a 39-17 vote, as the NDP continued to oppose the move.

“Kathleen Wynne underfunded colleges for years, then sat on her hands for five weeks and did nothing while the strike dragged on,” stated Andrea Horwath, leader of the Ontario NDP, in a press release.

“The law gives her the authority to step in and be active at that bargaining table, and she refused, letting down students and letting down faculty members.”

Horwath added: “For Kathleen Wynne, this was never about students or faculty. This was about politics. It looks like she was just waiting – letting students wait – for the moment when she could legislate faculty back to work.”

The Progressive Conservatives in Ontario backed the legislation brought forward by the Liberals, including Lambton-Kent-Middlesex MPP Monte McNaughton.

Classes are expected to resume on Tuesday.

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