The group representing Ontario's 24 community colleges says it has a “really good offer” on the table as a college faculty strike reached its third week without a return to bargaining.
OPSEU, the union representing the 12,000 striking college professors, and the College Employer Council have not been at the bargaining table since the labour dispute began Oct. 16.
“The two sides are in contact with the mediator,” said Sonia Del Missier, chair of the College Employer Council.
“Right now things are in his hands. But we hope he will soon advise us that the union is prepared to return to the table and to deal with the issues in a realistic manner.
“We're always available to go back to the table and have discussions with the unions about our offer. We assert that the offer we have on the table is a really good offer.”
Del Missier, who until recently was Cambrian College's vice-president, international, applied research and business development, said she shares in students' frustration.
“We are equally frustrated,” she said. “We've said all along this has been an unnecessary strike. It's disrupted hundreds of thousands of students.”
Del Missier, who plans to retire from Cambrian after the labour dispute ends, said colleges are developing semester completion plans contingent upon on how long the strike continues.
“Historically, no student has lost a year because of a labour stoppage,” she said.
David Fasciano, president of OPSEU Local 673, representing Collège Boréal faculty, said it will take “some common sense on the part of the College Employer Council” to get the two parties back to the bargaining table.
“They have to get off the position that their offer is the only thing to consider, and be open to a negotiated, proper settlement,” he said.
Fasciano disputes Del Missier's assertion there's a “really good offer” on the table.
“They have given us I think three offers since the beginning of August, each one of them progressively worse,” he said.
The colleges have offered a 7.75-per-cent wage increase over four years, but Fasciano said what OPSEU is proposing in that area is actually similar — wages aren't really the main issue.
The union is looking for a 50-50 ratio of full-time to part-time workers, better wages and seniority rights for part-time workers and academic freedom for all college faculty.
“We've been very clear that the union's proposals are just not acceptable,” Del Missier said. “They're not moving off of those proposals.”
The staffing ratio proposal is something “we certainly cannot accept,” she said. “It's going to add more than $250 million to annual costs.”
It would also eliminate 3,350 jobs from the college system, Del Missier said.
“In response to their concern, the colleges offer that is on the table right now does specifically have language that when you're staffing a program, it gives preference to creating full-time jobs over partial load jobs,” she said.
But part-time, contract positions “aren't jobs,” retorts Fasciano.
“When you figure it out, they're making less than minimum wage,” he said. “Our proposal actually creates career jobs and with proper salary, benefits and proper involvement in the college education system.”
As for the money it would cost to create more full-time college faculty positions, Fasciano said Ontario's college system had $188 million in unspent, surplus funds last year.
It's also saved $60 million during this strike by not having to pay professors' salaries. “There's your $250 million,” he said.
As for academic freedom, Del Missier said faculty actually want what she terms “academic control.” Faculty already play a “critical role” in decision-making, she said.
“But to suggest they have exclusivity over that is not acceptable,” Del Missier said.
“We have a number of other key stakeholders — program advisory committees, accreditation bodies — they also play a critical role in that decision-making.”
But faculty have “never asked for exclusivity” in decision-making, Fasciano said. “We currently do not have any official voice, despite what she says, and she knows it,” he said.
