Most of the information below comes directly from the provincial town hall meeting on Wednesday, February 2nd. The presentation and question and answer session each dealt with the same broad topics, so we have organized this information according to those main topics, and included the relevant video clips from that meeting.
1. Why you should vote to reject this offer
Video 1: How this offer fails to address faculty’s demands in any meaningful way
Video 2: The empty promise of toothless committees and task forces
2. CEC Misinformation and captive audience communications
The College Employer Council (CEC) is the bargaining agent for our Ontario Colleges. College presidents and administrators are quick to adopt the attitude that the negotiation process is out of their hands, and a ‘provincial matter’. This is not the case. The CEC is under the direction of the 24 College Presidents, and all colleges should be be held to account for the behaviour of their bargaining agent.
The videos below detail the shocking behaviour of the College Presidents via the CEC: Stonewalling, refusing to negotiate in good faith, imposing terms of employment, and most importantly spreading misinformation that is designed to confuse faculty and to undermine their faith in the Union and the CAAT-A Bargaining Team.
Regardless of how you feel about any of the specific proposals on the table, we hope that everyone can agree that this behaviour by the CEC is unacceptable, and that their aggressive and confrontational approach to bargaining needs to change. A vote to reject their offer is also a vote to reject this behaviour.
Video 1: Faculty proposals are not illegal under Bill 124
Video 2: From the Q&A: How can the CEC continue to get away with their misinformation?
Video 3: From the Q&A: Do the union’s proposals hurt Partial Load Faculty as the CEC claims?
Video 4: From the Q&A: What can we do about the misinformation our college is sending us every day?
3. What will happen after a vote to reject the offer
Many faculty are concerned about the possibility of a full strike after vote to reject. We can assure you that there are many options available before any type of full strike would even be considered. Remember, you are already on strike. Our current work to rule job action is a form of strike.
The bargaining team is considering many alternatives to a traditional province-wide strike, and they remain committed to finding agreement at the negotiating table, or if necessary via binding interest arbitration.
Video 1: What Happens After We Reject The Forced Offer
Video 2: From the Q&A: What happens after we reject the offer? Will there be a full strike?
4. Hope and solidarity
Contract negotiations are stressful at the best of times, and when you have an aggressive employer who refuses to acknowledge genuine concerns, it can be downright disheartening. More than ever, this is the time for solidarity and to follow the team’s guidance as they help us rise above the noise and focus on improving the college system for our students and all faculty.