TORONTO, Sept. 30, 2022 /CNW/ – We are pleased to announce that College Full-Time Support Staff employees have voted in favour of ratifying a new collective agreement. College Employer Council (CEC) and OPSEU bargaining teams were dedicated to the negotiation process and creating fair and reasonable terms to better the Ontario public College sector as a whole. Through a ratification vote, 80 per cent of membership voted in support of the new terms.

This three-year agreement was achieved through bargaining throughout the summer, with both sides engaging in open, honest, and respectful dialogue.

“It is through our positive ongoing working relationship with full-time support staff that we were able to come to a deal before the previous collective agreement expired,” said Management bargaining Chair Pascal Bessette, Vice-President Human Resources and Organizational Culture at La Cite College. “Support staff is an integral part of the College sector, and we look forward to continuing to work together providing students with a well-rounded educational experience.”

Changes to the agreement include:

• 1% Increase in wages
• Increase in mental health benefits
• Increased benefits for medical cannabis
• Increase in paramedical services
• Expansion on bereavement leave
• Efficiency surrounding job postings
• Increased commitment to Indigeneity
• Increased commitment to equity, diversity, and inclusion

“We would like to thank the OPSEU bargaining team for their hard work and everyone who voted for ratifying the terms of this agreement,” said Graham Lloyd, CEO of CEC. “This agreement acknowledges the essential work that Full-Time Support staff provides to Colleges, students, and the Ontario post-secondary education system more generally.”

The new collective agreement 3-year term spans September 1, 2022, to August 31, 2025.