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Arbitrator vindicates instructors' fight for quality education

Independent task force will assess workload issues raised by instructors at 24 community colleges

Toronto (29 June 2006 - The Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU/NUPGE) says an arbitrator's award vindicates a month-long strike by approximately 9,000 provincial college instructors in March.

The award, by arbitrator William Kaplan, included the appointment of a task force to deal with workload issues with an independent chair to settle disputes. The deal also included competitive wage rates, the union says.

"OPSEU ended its strike on the agreement that a third party would look independently at workload in the colleges as an issue of quality," says Ted Montgomery, chair of the faculty bargaining team for OPSEU.

"Management had consistently opposed any third-party study of workload."

Faculty members will receive one salary increase of 3% retroactive to Sept. 1, 2005, another 3% raise on Sept. 1, 2006, a further 3.5% on Sept. 1, 2007 and a final 4% raise on Sept. 1, 2008.

"With an additional step to be added to the grid in April 2007, this will mean a 15.33% increase in salary by Sept. 1, 2008 for college faculty," the union says.

OPSEU has consistently advocated for quality education issues, including more full-time faculty and smaller class sizes. NUPGE

More information:
Complete text of Kaplan arbitration award - pdf
CAAT negotiating team memo - pdf
Binding arbitration agreement to end college strike in Ontario