On May 2nd and 3rd, part-time college support staff representing all seven regions across Ontario gathered for our Pre-Bargaining Conference.
After a difficult round with our uncompromising employer, we are heading into our next bargaining round with renewed energy ahead of our collective agreement expiry on January 31, 2027.
It was inspiring to see so many new faces in the room! The organizing work we have put in as a division, including the lead up to our first ever strike vote this past fall, is laying the foundation to build something bigger, together.
We also saw stronger student participation, including amongst delegates who stepped up in elections to help lead the coming fight and ensure student voices are reflected on our new bargaining team.
This year, we were joined by leadership from part-time and sessional college faculty, who won union representation last spring. Our guests spoke to our shared struggle of organizing against precarity – we know that to win for precarious and contract workers, we need to come together like never before.
Many thanks to all members who stood for positions in elections to our new bargaining team and the Employee/Employer Relations Committee (EERC). Thank you, as well, to all their nominators and congratulations to our newly elected teams! There was a huge outpouring of interest in elections this year – it is inspiring to see that across Ontario, part-time college support staff are ready to organize for the contract we deserve.
Your bargaining team and committee election results are as follows below.
College Support Part-Time Bargaining Team (7) – Elected
Toni Pettit, Local 561 (Seneca Polytechnic) – Chair
Harvey Vaters, Local 349 (Georgian College) – Vice-Chair
Naomi Cameron, Local 245 (Sheridan College) – Student seat (1)
Mark Halabecki, Local 731 (Confederation College)
Torsten Hamelin, Local 556 (George Brown Polytechnic)
Elizabeth Marculewicz, Local 563 (Humber Polytechnic)
Duncan McFarlane, Local 416 (Algonquin College)
Your new College Support Part-Time Bargaining Team!
From left to right: Torsten Hamelin, Duncan McFarlane, Mark Halabecki, Toni Pettit, Elizabeth Marculewicz, Harvey Vaters, Naomi Cameron
Employee/Employer Relations Committee (EERC) – Members from Bargaining Team (3)
Harvey Vaters, Local 349 (Georgian College) – Vice-Chair
Mark Halabecki, Local 731 (Confederation)
Elizabeth Marculewicz, Local 563 (Humber Polytechnic)
Employee/Employer Relations Committee (EERC) – Members-at-large (2)
Courtney Booth, Local 243 (Niagara College) – Chair
Nancy Baron-Blake, Local 672 (Collège Boréal)
In solidarity,
Your College Support Part-Time Divisional Executive:
Sara McArthur Timofejew, L241, Mohawk College, Chair (she/her)
Doreen Follett, L416, Algonquin College, Vice-Chair (she/her)
Noor Askandar, L557, George Brown Polytechnic (she/her)
Toni Pettit, L561, Seneca Polytechnic (she/her)
Yaroslava Tverdokhib, L 557, George Brown Polytechnic (she/her)
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