OPSEU’s full-time support staff have ratified a new three-year contract. The deal, reached last month after a five-week strike, gives a total of 6.25 per cent in wage increases over three years.
The new deal expires Aug. 31, 2028.
OPSEU said 89 per cent of the approximately 7,800 members who voted on the tentative agreement supported the new pact.
The deal includes improvements to health care and shift premiums.
The strike ended on Oct. 15 after mediation.
One of OPSEU’s demands during negotiations had been to restrict contracting out and protect bargaining unit work from management. However, the CEC claimed the collective agreement already protected employees from losing their jobs from direct contracting out.
The new contract will provide an extended timeline for employees who take a leave of absence to work for a contracted company outside of the institution.
The agreement also said full-time support staff will receive a shift premium improvement.
OPSEU said in a news release that although it did not achieve the full restriction of contracting out work and managers fulfilling support staff obligations, it will push for this initiative in future rounds of bargaining.
CEC said in a news release that all college workers must be able to help students, and managers doing support staff work are not a threat to support staff job security.
Meanwhile, 64 per cent of part-time support staff have voted in favour of giving their bargaining team a strike mandate.
OPSEU is asking for a fair wage increase, paid sick days, time off for religious holidays, and other items such as job descriptions and feedback for unsuccessful interviews. Part-time staff have been working with an expired contract.
Negotiations are expected to begin Nov. 20.
Meanwhile, OPSEU is also negotiating a first contract for part-time and sessional faculty following a 20-year effort to organize them.
