(TORONTO – August 26, 2011) – The decision by management for Ontario’s community colleges to table a contract offer by way of news release represents a deliberate attempt to circumvent the bargaining process, the chair of the union’s bargaining team said today.
“Contracts are settled at the bargaining table and not through the news media late on a Friday afternoon,” said Rod Bemister, chair of the bargaining team for the Ontario Public Service Employees Union that represents more than 8,000 college support workers at the province’s 24 community colleges. “This move by management smacks of desperation on the eve of possible job action by our members.“We look forward to resuming negotiations on Aug. 29 as previously scheduled.”
On Aug. 25 the union advised college management that it would withdraw the services of support workers on Sept. 1 unless a contract agreement was reached by Aug. 31.The move by college management to make its contract offer through the news media is symptomatic of the way it has approached bargaining from the start of negotiations in early June.
“Regrettably, negotiators for management have treated the bargaining process as a nuisance from the start,” said Bemister. “We expect that management will return to the contract table on Aug. 29 with the clear intent of negotiating a deal with the union.”
More information:Rod Bemister, Chair, CAAT Support Bargaining Team, 416-779-0669
Greg Hamara, OPSEU Communications, 647-238-9933 mobile
