TORONTO, Aug. 2, 2024 /CNW/ - After seven long years, following part-time and sessional faculty across all 24 Ontario colleges voting to join OPSEU/SEFPO in October of 2017, the Ontario Labour Relations Board (OLRB) issued a decision on July 30th to re-open ballot boxes. OPSEU/SEFPO warmly welcomes this decision, which paves the way towards the long-deserved recognition of part-time and sessional faculty voices.

"We are confident that the ballot count will tell us what we already know: part-time and sessional faculty at Ontario colleges want to enjoy the protections and improvements to working conditions under union representation," said Rebecca Ward, President of OPSEU/SEFPO Local 732 representing faculty at Confederation College, and an OPSEU/SEFPO College Divisional Executive member. "The CEC knows this, too, and have pumped the brakes at every turn – but still couldn't stop the momentum of years of worker organizing."

Once ballots have been counted and union certification confirmed, part-time and sessional faculty colleagues will officially gain full union representation under OPSEU/SEFPO as a new bargaining unit. This will set the stage for negotiations to begin with the College Employer Council (CEC) and set contract faculty on the road towards the unit's first Collective Agreement.

Despite clear demonstration of surpassing the 35 per cent threshold of members signing union cards in 2017, the CEC raised an objection under Section 31 of the Colleges Collective Bargaining Act (CCBA), challenging that support. This objection forced the sealing of the ballot box and initiated a protracted seven-year process of verifying the voters' list.

"If history has taught us two things, it's that employers will do anything to prevent workers from unionizing," said OPSEU/SEFPO President JP Hornick. "And that nothing can stop the momentum of workers organizing – when we stand together, we win."

Hornick insisted that the similar tactics were employed in 2016, when 20,000 part-time college support staff voted on whether to join OPSEU/SEFPO after a 14-year-long campaign.

"The CEC's challenges delayed a decision at the OLRB for over 2 years," said Hornick. "When the ballots were finally counted, an overwhelming 84 per cent voted in favour of joining OPSEU/SEFPO – marking the largest organizing drive in the Canadian labour movement's history."

"The ongoing objection by the CEC to a final vote count has been a long-standing barrier stalling the conclusion of union certification for some of the most precariously employed faculty across the province," added Jeff Brown, faculty at George Brown College and an OPSEU/SEFPO College Divisional Executive member. "Despite the employer's use of every conceivable delay tactic to prevent the counting of the ballots – expending millions of taxpayer dollars in the process – we are finally on the precipice of welcoming part-time and sessional faculty voices into the Union."

"This is a hard-won victory directly flowing from years of effort by organizers and activists. We welcome the imminent announcement that OPSEU/SEFPO is growing, with new members at colleges across the province," added Hornick. "And we're going to fight hard for contract faculty, who have waited long enough, to secure the respect they deserve!"

OPSEU/SEFPO will release further updates as information becomes available from the OLRB regarding the date of the ballot count and subsequent steps in the certification drive.

SOURCE Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU)