THUNDER BAY — There will be no strike or lockout in Ontario's public college system in the fall semester.
The College Employer Council – representing 24 colleges – and the Ontario Public Service Employees Union agreed Tuesday to enter non-binding mediation early next month.
According to the CEC, even if the parties remain at an impasse after mediation by William Kaplan from Dec. 6 to Dec. 8, there would be no strike or lockout before the end of 2024.
They have been in negotiations on a new collective agreement since July, and talks overseen by a conciliator concluded on Tuesday.
Last month OPSEU members gave their bargaining team a mandate to call a strike to get a deal.
The union said mediation does not sacrifice its ability to exercise its right to take job action "should the employer fail to negotiate a fair contract."
OPSEU has asserted that college management is seeking concessions it can never agree to, while the CEC has stated the union has made demands it knows will never be accepted by the colleges.
CEC said it remains hopeful an agreement can be reached "to provide stability for students, employees and the greater College community."
