Part-Time and Sessional Employees
OPSEU is seeking to represent part-time and sessional teachers at the Colleges.
The Certification Vote
On December 2, 2008, the Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU) filed an “Application for Certification” with the Ontario Labour Relations Board (OLRB). OPSEU stated they had met the threshold established in the Colleges Collective Bargaining Act, 2008, by having obtained signed membership cards from 35% of the part-time academic 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 (December 2, 2008) 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 January 6, 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 January 19 and February 5, 2009. The Colleges and OPSEU are still in litigation to resolve the matter of the 35% threshold.
Communiqués
Click here for some answers to questions you may have about unionization.