THUNDER BAY — Part-time support staff at Confederation College and 23 other community colleges in Ontario have a tentative new collective bargaining agreement.
The deal was announced Monday by the Ontario Public Service Employees Union.
OPSEU said its bargaining team was able to negotiate improvements to the contract, but details won't be released until the 16,000 union members affected get a chance to review the settlement.
The date for a ratification vote will be announced soon.
OPSEU President Warren Thomas said "The employer had a long list of cuts and concessions they wanted us to accept, but I'm proud to say that the team held firm against each and every one of them."
The tentative deal was reached late Friday after a 12-hour bargaining session.
The previous agreement expired on Jan. 31, 2021.
In a statement, the College Employer Council said the contract will provide much-needed stability to the system in the wake of the challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic.
"The fact that the bargaining teams were able to reach a tentative agreement after only 12 hours at the table shows the collective dedication to creating a positive working relationship at the colleges," said CEC CEO Graham Lloyd.
Next month, negotiators for the colleges and OPSEU will begin negotiations on a new collective agreement with full and part-time academic staff.
The current contract expires on September 30, 2021.
NOTE: This story has been updated to include a statement provided by the College Employer Council
