A very serious situation which has the potential to affect our jobs and retirement benefits is currently underway in our college system which requires the need for both DivEx and the Local to provide strong leadership now in anticipation of rocky times ahead with the Ford government.
Currently 6 colleges contract out, to private colleges, the delivery of public college credentials for international students: Lambton, St. Clair, Northern, Cambrian, St. Lawrence and Canadore. After a Divisional lobbying campaign and damning external reports about the risks such arrangements pose, the previous Liberal government announced that it would be phased out. However, it is our understanding that the Ford government has indicated that the outsourcing will now be allowed to continue. Consequently, with DivEx coordination, on February 6, two locals – Canadore and St. Lawrence – have filed OLRB applications “Regarding Employee Status”, essentially making the claim that the workers (support and faculty) at the private colleges belong to our bargaining units because they are delivering our programs.
Combined with teacher-less classes and the Multi-College Collaboration Model, the continued contracting out of faculty work to private colleges or third-party contractors, it is very clear that the Ford government has a very different way of doing business in the province of Ontario.
The Local will keep you appraised of any new information regarding these important matters and I would ask that you alert the Local if you become aware of any of your work being contracted out so that we can act to protect your work and retirement benefits, now and into the future.
Pat Kennedy, President
OPSEU Local 415