Second week bargaining update
The College Support Full-Time bargaining team met with the employer last week on July 19, 20 and 21. It was our second week at the bargaining table. The union and the employer clarified a number of proposals from each side and provided context and reasoning.
We emphasized the importance of our demands and encouraged the employer to provide us with meaningful responses. Our members sent us to the table with these demands and the employer hasn’t addressed them yet. We made it clear to the employer that we are here to bargain and are expecting significant talks to happen at our next set of dates.
Although we are applying for an exemption to Bill 124 (which caps our wages to 1% per year for three years despite soaring inflation), there are also a number of non-monetary demands that we have tabled, including the following:
Fairness: Job competitions and job security
We have tabled the demand to give part-time and Appendix D employees access to full-time job competitions, and to have a system of equating job experience with levels of education. This will ensure that all members will have fair access to job competitions, and ensure that members with high levels of experience aren’t denied positions due to unnecessarily strict educational qualifications.
We’ve tabled a proposal to give members on probation access to vacancies when lay-off processes take place. We have also tabled language to eliminate final displacement; this will ensure better job security.
Respect: Equity provisions for Indigenous members
After thorough consultations with Indigenous leaders and deep reflection, we created and tabled our proposals to start addressing some of the inherent barriers for Indigenous CAAT-S members. We will continue to reflect and seek guidance to ensure inequities are addressed and barriers removed.
The bargaining team has sent a strong message that the employer cannot ignore: Colleges must ensure that Indigenous employees have welcoming and inclusive workplaces that respect traditional ways and culture.
Dignity: Health and safety provisions and vacation time
We tabled the demand that all safety devices required by support staff be provided at no cost to the employee. Support staff typically spend more time in labs and other areas of the workplace, and require safety devices more often than any other working group.
We’ve also tabled the demand that we align the vacation calendar with the benefits calendar (January 1 to December 31), and to realign the date to request vacation to November 1. Currently, the vacation year starts on July 1, which means vacation entitlement gets reset in the summer when members typically need vacation days the most.
Stay tuned and get involved!
Four of your co-workers were elected in May at a provincial union meeting to be mobilizers to work with support staff and build bargaining power on the ground. Those four mobilizers are:
Carla Tillpaugh (Regions 1 and 2):
carlatillapaugh@hotmail.com, 519-384-1851
St. Clair, Lambton, Fanshawe, Conestoga, Mohawk, Niagara and Sheridan Colleges
Éric Lacroix (Regions 3 and 4):
ericl219@hotmail.com, 343-996-5469
Durham, Georgian, Fleming, Loyalist, St. Lawrence, La Cité and Algonquin Colleges
Colette Cameron (Region 5):
col.ccameron@gmail.com, 416-908-6478
Humber, Seneca, Centennial and George Brown Colleges
Lynn Ainslie (Regions 6 and 7):
lynthibault@hotmail.com, 705-669-7664
Canadore, Sault, Cambrian, Boréal, Northern and Confederation Colleges
In the next several weeks the Mobilizers will be holding bargaining events on campuses and virtually. The Bargaining Team will be available to attend these events (when possible) to connect directly with members and respond to your questions and listen to your concerns. Please keep an eye on your email and caatsftbargaining.org for more information about bargaining events and Q&A sessions.
(Not getting bargaining update emails? Update your contact information!)
In solidarity,
Your CAAT-S FT Bargaining Team:
Rasho Donchev, Chair
Christine Kelsey, Vice-Chair
Daniel Brisson
Shelley Gartshore
Robert Holder
Michael McKeown
Veneise Samuels
Solidarity from President JP Hornick and First Vice-President/Treasurer Laurie Nancekivell
We were proud to wear blue t-shirts on July 13 in support of the bargaining team alongside you and your co-workers. There’s so much power in members coming together – it shows the colleges that you are united in your demand for dignity, fairness and respect. We stand in solidarity with College Support, and so does all of OPSEU/SEFPO. See you in your blue t-shirt on August 10 – we’ll be with you!
Wear Blue for Bargaining: August 10
We’re asking all support staff to wear blue on August 10 to show support for the bargaining team and a fair contract when they’re at the table next! Take a picture and post it on social media using the hashtag #Support4Success. Make sure to send the pic to the point-person in your local as well so we can post them online!
It meant so much to the bargaining team to see all those blue t-shirts in July. Not only does it show us that you’re engaged and supporting us while we’re at the table, but it also shows the employer that you are standing behind your demands that we’re bringing to them. Thanks for your solidarity!
Upcoming bargaining dates
- August 8-12, 2022
August 22 – September 2, 2022
Contract expiry date: August 31, 2022
