Part-time Support Staff
OPSEU is seeking to represent part-time support, part-time student employees and employees working in a “project of a non-recurring kind” at the Colleges.
The Certification Vote
On July 23, 2009, the Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU) filed an “Application for Certification” with the Ontario Labour Relations Board (OLRB), stating they had met the legislative threshold by having obtained signed membership cards from 35% of the part-time support bargaining unit.
The Council, on behalf of the Colleges, filed a disagreement indicating that there were more employees in the proposed bargaining unit on the date the application was filed (July 23, 2009) than indicated by OPSEU.
Although the Colleges disagreed that OPSEU had met the 35% threshold for a vote to be conducted, the OLRB issued a decision on September 2, 2009, stating that the vote would take place and the ballot boxes sealed until the issue of the 35% threshold is resolved. The vote was held between October 5 and October 27, 2009. The Colleges and OPSEU are still in litigation to resolve the matter of the 35% threshold. An award by the OLRB on September 27, 2010 provided some guidance to assist the parties in determining the part-time employees to be included as of the date of the application (July 23, 2009).
Q’s and A’s About the Certification Process
Click here for some answers to questions you may have about unionization.