The history of OPSEU/SEFPO organizing around part-time and sessional faculty representation goes back to the early 2000s, long before part-time college workers in Ontario had the right to bargain collectively or unionize.
Key moments in our union history:
March 2004: OPSEU/SEFPO adopts position to lobby the provincial government to amend legislation – the Colleges Collective Bargaining Act (CCBA) – and grant part-time college workers the right to collectively bargain.
October 2004: Funding approved for long-term campaign to amend legal statutes related to organizing and bargaining rights for part-time academic and support college workers.
March 2005: OPSEU/SEFPO funds workplace campaign aimed at raising awareness regarding part-time college employee rights, re-doubles efforts to lobby the province.
June 7, 2007: Supreme Court of Canada releases landmark decision on freedom of association, for the first time ruling that collective bargaining is a constitutional right protected under the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
September 2007: OPSEU/SEFPO extends funding for the Community College Part-Time Organizing Campaign.
April 14, 2008: OPSEU/SEFPO first applies for certification of college part-time and sessional faculty, and part-time support staff – employer wins legal challenge.
April 29, 2008: Part-time college workers lobby provincial government at Queen’s Park in an 11 hour blitz with dozens of MPPs, securing a promise from top elected officials that legislation to recognize their right to bargain collectively will be introduced.
June 2008: Ontario government introduces Bill 68, Colleges Collective Bargaining Amendment Act, removing provision forbidding part-time college workers from unionizing – first update to legislation in 33 years.
2009: OPSEU/SEFPO commences new union drive, signing up thousands of workers before the year’s end. College management and College Employer Council (CEC) mount a series of legal challenges.
March 2011 – April 2012: OPSEU/SEFPO calls on the provincial government to order the Colleges and their counsel to withdraw their objections to union certification applications filed by the union on behalf of part-time support and academic employees.
March 2015 – May 2017: OPSEU/SEFPO extends additional funding and resources for college part-time worker organizing drives.
June 23, 2017: OPSEU/SEFPO files application with Ontario Labour Relations Board (OLRB) to represent part-time and sessional college faculty.
October 2-13 2017: Part-time and sessional faculty across Ontario’s colleges hold union representation vote.
October 2017 – April 2025: College Employer Council (CEC) engages in legal battles to stop the counting of the ballots.
January 11, 2018: First break-through win against legal challenges to part-time college worker union drives – part-time college support staff officially join OPSEU/SEFPO.
February 2019: OPSEU/SEFPO calls on the provincial government to direct the CEC to immediately voluntarily recognize OPSEU/SEFPO as the official bargaining agent for all part-time college faculty.
Legal challenges by CEC continue.
September 2023: OLRB issues decision compelling CEC to meet specific deadlines to provide information integral to settling outstanding dispute.
July 2024: OLRB issues decision to re-open ballot boxes, seven years after part-time and sessional faculty across all 24 Ontario colleges first voted on union representation.
August 2024: Part-time and sessional faculty officially gain union representation, voting 84% “yes” to join OPSEU/SEFPO.
April 2025: OPSEU/SEFPO adopts composite faculty locals such that the local at each of the 24 Ontario public colleges will be a full-time unit and a part-time unit.
June 12, 2025: OPSEU/SEFPO delivers Notice to Bargain to CEC on behalf of part-time and sessional bargaining unit.
July 2025 – April 2026: Lengthy process to acquire up-to-date and relevant member contact info as part of disclosure commences; bargaining survey launched.
April 2026: First bargaining dates at the table.