College, faculty dispute settled

Last semester almost half-a-million full and part-time college students in Ontario were left out in the cold March weather for almost three weeks, while college faculty and administration bickered over money, class-time and workload.

Although teachers and students were back in class to finish the semester, an arbitrator was called in to resolve outstanding issues. Arbitrator, William Kaplan, decided in late June on a deal that has left both college administration and faculty, with some exceptions, feeling victorious.

“The most important thing is there will be no labour disturbances for at least three years,” said Dr. Howard Rundle, Fanshawe College President.

Kaplan agreed to a 15.3 per cent salary increase over four years for full-time college faculty, while a maximum a faculty member can make is $96,529 by 2009.

In March, college faculty, represented by OPSEU, rejected a package offer of a 12.9 per cent salary which increased.

During the strike, faculty made workload a priority, claiming crowded classrooms and minimal teacher/student one-on-one time were jeopardizing the education of college students.

In the ruling, Kaplan made no changes to faculty workload, although a pilot workload project has been established to evaluate teaching schedules.

“The absence of immediate workload improvements is disappointing but it is not a roadblock,” noted a memo from OPSEU negotiating team to college faculty members.

Because workload concerns are raised on an individual basis, Rundle said the issue would always be a bone of contention.

According to Rundle, each faculty member who participates in the project will record how their teaching hours are spent. In return, each participant will receive an additional $1000 on top of his or her salary.

“We are glad to pay that,” Rundle said about the additional funding.

“No strike is ever worth it,” Rundle said concerns the thousands of Fanshawe students who missed precious class time. “Everyone loses.”