Bargaining Bulletin #3:
Your Part-Time College Support Staff Bargaining Team returned to the bargaining table last week. We continued conversations regarding our non-monetary proposal presented to the College Employer Council in late January, as well as presented our monetary demands. After a week of #PartTimePower drop-in events hosted across colleges in Ontario, we felt supported in the fight for the fair and equitable settlement we deserve. The outpouring of solidarity bolstered our resolve – let’s keep the momentum going!
In March, we sent a letter to the CEC regarding the importance of stronger protections against sexual harassment. While the CEC responded to our letter and indicated that this conversation would continue in bargaining, our experience at the table did not reflect this.
Instead, the CEC insisted upon the need to preserve “flexibility.” For part-timers, this means greater precarity that we can’t afford. Part-Timers need good jobs that come with stability and security, more than incremental changes to our already very precarious working conditions.
We presented our monetary proposal during our last bargaining day. Central to this proposal are a wage grid, paid sick days, equal pay for equal work, minimum shift lengths, time-off provisions, professional development days, and expanded bereavement leave. We also raised the question of benefits for our members – a core issue, as demonstrated by the flood of responses to our bargaining survey. These are reasonable asks of any employer aiming for parity with provincial standards in 2024.
The purpose of colleges is to provide the highest quality education and training needed by the present and future of Ontario’s workforce – and this begins with being a decent employer. The colleges should be stepping into their responsibility to set the standard for fair treatment of part-time support staff. The bargaining priorities set out by our membership are also questions of justice – we deserve equal pay for equal work, pay consistency across colleges, and the security of paid sick days and benefits.
Click here to view our monetary proposal presented last week to the employer.
Our next dates at the bargaining table with the employer will take place between June 5-7, 2024. In the coming weeks, we need to exercise our solidarity and unity more than ever. Budget management cannot happen on workers’ backs. Colleges work because we do – our livelihood is more important than the bottom line.
Part-time power swept colleges across Ontario!
What an incredible show of force this week as the vast majority of colleges across Ontario held #PartTimePower drop-in events in solidarity with their bargaining team heading back to the table. Not only did we create opportunities for members to learn about what’s at stake, but we also demonstrated that we are connected across campuses towards a shared goal. Worker unity is built over time, but it is the well-travelled road towards winning. Let’s continue to build on the momentum – keep circulating our paid sick days petition and send photos with placards to caatsptbargainingteam@gmail.com so we can share your solidarity on our socials!
In solidarity,
Your College Support Part-Time Bargaining Team:
Noor Askandar, George Brown College, Chair
Sara McArthur, Mohawk College, Vice-Chair
Doreen Follett, Algonquin College, Member
Torsten Hamelin, George Brown College, Member
Aliza Kassam, George Brown College, Member
Paula Naylor, Sault College, Member
Natalie Williams, Sheridan College, Member
We want to hear from you about benefits!
Reminder: If you have yet to complete the benefits survey, please do so at this link.
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