Ontario’s 24 colleges and the union representing academic employees (instructors, professors, librarians, and counsellors) are currently negotiating a collective agreement.
As a provincial college, Centennial does not bargain directly with its unionized employees. The province mandates that the College Employer Council (CEC) act as an agent representing colleges (the employers) in centralized collective bargaining with unionized staff. The Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU) represents college academic employees, as well as support staff.
Strike Averted at Ontario Colleges - January 8, 2025
Ontario colleges enter into Binding Arbitration with OPSEU Academic employees
At 9:30 p.m. last night, the College Employer Council and OPSEU agreed to enter into binding arbitration with full-time and partial-load professors, instructors, counsellors, and librarians.
The possibility of any work stoppage is averted and there will be no strike or work to rule. The two bargaining teams have entered into a Memorandum of Settlement that will address the arbitration process.
Centennial College fully respects the rights of our academic employees to collectively bargain. We are thankful that the parties were able to come to this decision.
Centennial College fully respects the rights of our academic faculty to collectively bargain. As a community that deeply supports one another I want to thank ALL of you for your time and dedication in ensuring Centennial would be ready for any strike action and for ensuring the safety of all staff and students.
Negotiations update January 6, 2025
On January 3, 2025, the OPSEU bargaining team announced potential labour action in the form of a strike on January 9, 2025. However, we don’t yet know what this will look like: a strike could entail work-to-rule, rotating strikes, or a walk out. Once it’s confirmed, the College will update you about next steps. We are hopeful for an agreement that will bring stability for students, employees, and the College community.
The College will confirm as early as possible the status of OPSEU’s decision as soon as we receive details of the type of strike action they plan to take. There is the possibility that classes (in-person or online) could stop as of Thursday. Librarians (including Learning Strategists) and counsellors would also withdraw their services.
Negotiations update December 18, 2024
On December 18, 2024, the Ministry of Labour issued the no-board report to the CAAT-A bargaining team. This means that by January 4, 2025, unionized academic employees will technically be in a position to start labour action, which includes work-to-rule, partial walkout, rotating strike, all the way up to a full walkout.
While the union will be in a legal strike position, mediation can continue and is in fact still scheduled for January 6 and 7, 2025.
Negotiations update December 12, 2024
The College Employer Council (CEC) entered mediation earlier this week with OPSEU, representing full-time and partial-load professors, instructors, and librarians. At the end of the three days, both parties agreed to extend mediation and meet again on January 6-7, 2025.
Today, the OPSEU academic bargaining team has decided to request a no board report from the Ministry of Labour despite agreeing to continued mediation only a few days ago. A no board report will put OPSEU and its members in a strike position early in the new year. For more, visit the CEC website.
Negotiations update December 9, 2024
The CEC and CAAT-A bargaining team representing full-time and partial-load professors, instructors, librarians, and counsellors entered non-binding mediation between Friday, December 6, and Sunday, December 8. Mediation will continue Monday January 6 and Tuesday January 7, 2025.
The contents of mediation are confidential and both parties have been instructed by Mediator Kaplan to not speak about what was discussed. As previously stated, there will be no strike or labour action in the fall semester. The CEC remains committed to the process and to reaching an agreement with the CAAT-A bargaining team to provide stability for students, employees and the greater College community.
Negotiations update November 6, 2024
CEC and OPSEU began formal negotiations in July to renew the academic employee contract that expired on September 30, 2024. After the parties failed to reach an agreement, the union’s bargaining team requested on September 18 that the province assign a conciliation officer to assist with bargaining, and approval to hold a strike mandate vote. Academic employees voted to give OPSEU a strike mandate, and the parties began conciliation talks. On November 6, the two parties both agreed to enter non-binding mediation in early December. Neither party can engage in a strike or a lock out before this time. Based on legislative requirements, even if the parties remain at an impasse after mediation, there will be no strike or lock-out in the fall 2024 semester.
We encourage you to visit this page regularly for progress updates on the contract negotiations, and for answers to your most Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs).