Ontario college students are waiting to find out if their teachers will be in the classroom or on the picket line as faculty will be in a legal strike position as of Saturday.
Last month, the Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU) had requested and received a no-board report from Ontario’s Labour Ministry, which is a formal notice that a board of conciliation won’t be appointed in the labour negotiations.
Graham Lloyd, CEO of the College Employer Council, the bargaining agent for Ontario’s 24 public colleges, said Friday they want to avoid a strike at all costs.
“Well, it should be avoided by accepting binding arbitration because if we can’t make an agreement at the table, let’s just go to arbitration and have an arbitrator,” he said.
Lloyd said the demands by OPSEU are too high at this point in time including reducing teaching class time to less than nine hours a week.
He also said despite the two sides being so far apart he is optimistic a walkout can be avoided.
OPSEU said ahead of the Christmas break there had been no real progress in contract negotiations, noting erosion of working conditions, job security and quality of education, among the issues.
The union would have to provide five days’ notice before beginning a strike.
With files from The Canadian Press
