A deal has been reached on compensation for college faculty in Ontario.
The mediated settlement between OPSEU and the Ontario Employer Council covering 2021-24 comes on the heels of overturning Bill 124, which was ruled unconstitutional by the Ontario Superior court.
The agreement provides salary increases of 3%, 3%, and 3.5% annually, including the 1% increases that had originally been awarded under the Bill. It also provided a significant increase to paramedical benefits.
Despite the deal following two years of collective bargaining, union officials say college faculty will be back at the bargaining table in less than a year.
“This settlement is a necessary step forward for our 16,000 members following the unconstitutional constraints imposed by Bill 124, but it does not sufficiently address the erosion of our members’ wages as a result of inflation,” said Ravi Ramkissoonsingh, bargaining team Chair. “We look forward to going back to the bargaining table again next year, when our members can engage in free and fair bargaining without legislative constraints.”
The settlement covers 16,000 unionized full-time and partial-load faculty represented by OPSEU/SEFPO who are employed at Ontario’s 24 public colleges, including Lambton and St Clair College.