The College Employer Council is imploring the union that represents its faculty members to continue contract negotiations following an unfavourable ruling by the Treasury Board.
It said the Ontario Public Service Employees Union’s demand regarding workload is unlawful and would be “struck down under Bill 124.”
The legislation restricts public sector wage increases to just one per cent a year. The Ontario Attorney General could seek a court order forcing employers, like publicly-funded colleges, to comply.
On Monday, the union notified the CEC unless it met its contract demands, its members would walk off the job Friday morning. The council said the ruling significantly impacts those proposals. It is calling on OPSEU to withdraw the threat and return to the bargaining table.
“There is no reason to cause harm to the students,” wrote the council. “College management has repeatedly stated since November that it would not take steps to lock faculty out. It is entirely unnecessary for the union to put the students through a walk-out, and we trust that the union will withdraw its threats.”
It said it is prepared to negotiate as soon as this Friday and continue through the weekend in a bid to reach a tentative deal.
