College faculty table revised offer in effort to achieve settlement

TORONTO , Dec. 1 /CNW/ - Community college faculty tabled a revised position Monday hoping to reach a settlement in contract talks.

But union negotiators were left frustrated by management's refusal to make any changes to its position.

"We came forward with a significantly revised offer that could have resulted in a settlement that was satisfactory to both sides," said Ted Montgomery , chair of the bargaining team representing 9,000 faculty at 24 colleges across Ontario.

"But an agreement will remain elusive unless negotiators for the Colleges get realistic about what's required for a settlement."

The faculty, represented by the Ontario Public Service Employees Union, has tabled an offer that would amount to a wage increase that is less than what the colleges offered when the two sides last met on Nov. 12 .

The colleges tabled an earlier offer of eight per cent over four years. The union is seeking a 7.5 per cent raise over three years.

Faculty has maintained all along that in this round of bargaining the issue is improving quality education by implementing the recommendations of an independent task force established after the last round of bargaining in 2006.

"Today we tabled an offer that is affordable and which should have been acceptable. It is well within the range of other recent public sector agreements. There should be no roadblock to a settlement," said Montgomery.

For further information: Ted Montgomery, Chair, OPSEU Negotiating Team, [phone] (cell); Janet Wright, OPSEU Bilingual Negotiator, [phone] (cell)