College and union both hope for a resolution; neither willing to meet in the middle
On September 9, day nine of the support staff strike, Dr. Howard Rundle, President of Fanshawe College, held a press conference in order to address the possibility of any future bargaining between the colleges and Ontario Public Service Employees Union.
According to Rundle, who was told by the Ontario college bargaining team, the colleges are more than willing to go back to the bargaining table, but the only way it will be successful is if “the union removes some unreasonable demands that are simply unaffordable.” Until then, the colleges are hesitant to return to bargaining. “We are very far apart at the table, and it would be misleading to our support staff to have them think we could reach a negotiating settlement with the fiscal demands that currently are before us,” he said.
Some of these “unreasonable demands” being made by the union include “the union salary demands, their request to have colleges pay the full benefit costs to all retirees, and additional union leave time off for union business that would cost the college system $47 million in the first two years,” said Rundle.
There have been many discrepancies between the statements made by the colleges and the union. One demand the union put on the table was for benefits of retirees to be covered by the colleges. For Dr. Rundle, “At Fanshawe, if we had to start paying the benefits for our retirees we would be looking at millions of dollars in just a few short years.”
Marg Rae, President of the Local 109 union at Fanshawe College, on the other hand, said the union would be willing to compromise on this issue, “Even just a little bit, don't cover everything; let's just start trying to get a little bit.”
Rundle stated that the union demanded a salary increase of 6.1 per cent over two years, to which the colleges counter offered a salary increase totaling 4.75 per cent over three years and no concessions.
“Unfortunately, the prospects of reaching a negotiated settlement are not positive,” said Rundle.
This story was originally published to the Interrobang website on September 9 containing some erroneous information and misquotes. Corrections have been made to the original story. The Interrobang regrets the error.
According to Rundle, who was told by the Ontario college bargaining team, the colleges are more than willing to go back to the bargaining table, but the only way it will be successful is if “the union removes some unreasonable demands that are simply unaffordable.” Until then, the colleges are hesitant to return to bargaining. “We are very far apart at the table, and it would be misleading to our support staff to have them think we could reach a negotiating settlement with the fiscal demands that currently are before us,” he said.
Some of these “unreasonable demands” being made by the union include “the union salary demands, their request to have colleges pay the full benefit costs to all retirees, and additional union leave time off for union business that would cost the college system $47 million in the first two years,” said Rundle.
There have been many discrepancies between the statements made by the colleges and the union. One demand the union put on the table was for benefits of retirees to be covered by the colleges. For Dr. Rundle, “At Fanshawe, if we had to start paying the benefits for our retirees we would be looking at millions of dollars in just a few short years.”
Marg Rae, President of the Local 109 union at Fanshawe College, on the other hand, said the union would be willing to compromise on this issue, “Even just a little bit, don't cover everything; let's just start trying to get a little bit.”
Rundle stated that the union demanded a salary increase of 6.1 per cent over two years, to which the colleges counter offered a salary increase totaling 4.75 per cent over three years and no concessions.
“Unfortunately, the prospects of reaching a negotiated settlement are not positive,” said Rundle.
This story was originally published to the Interrobang website on September 9 containing some erroneous information and misquotes. Corrections have been made to the original story. The Interrobang regrets the error.
