Ontario's colleges introduce new contract for full-time faculty

Salary increase and workload improvements will benefit faculty

TORONTO , Nov. 12 /CNW/ - Ontario's colleges announced today that they will introduce a new contract for full-time faculty that provides a salary increase of approximately eight per cent over four years. This is taking place because negotiations with the Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU) broke off earlier today, with no further talks planned.

"This contract is consistent with recent compensation settlements in the public sector," said Dr. Rachael Donovan , chair of the colleges' bargaining team. "There is no reason to make our faculty wait longer for the increases we are able to provide."

The terms and conditions introduced today increase salaries over four years by 1.75 per cent, 1.75 per cent, two per cent and two per cent respectively. The new maximum salary for full-time faculty will be $103,975 by Sept. 1, 2012 .

The contract provides new workload terms that introduce flexibility to help students and faculty when designing the delivery of courses. The provisions also ensure there will be no increases to workload that can be assigned.

The four-year contract takes effect on Nov. 18, 2009 , and is retroactive to Sept. 1, 2009 .

After more than five months of negotiations, the parties remained far apart with no settlement in sight. OPSEU was seeking to increase the maximum salary for full-time faculty by 13 per cent over three years to $109,317 .

The Colleges Collective Bargaining Act allows the colleges to introduce new terms of employment once negotiations have broken down.

"It is regrettable that bargaining efforts failed to achieve a negotiated settlement," Dr. Donovan said. "Nonetheless, as colleges we are pleased that we have been able to avoid asking for any concessions from our faculty, especially with the current economic challenges. All of the improved terms and conditions are beneficial. Furthermore, all other terms of the collective agreement that expired on August 31, 2009 , which affect faculty, will remain in place."

For further information: Sally Ritchie, Senior Communications Officer, Colleges Ontario, [phone], ext. 242, [email protected]