Welcome

Since the last edition of the CEC newsletter, college HR personnel examined the classification arbitration process. The deadline for partial-load optional benefits applications passed. Part-time academic employees have officially unionized. And there are a number of significant dates approaching in Ontario college bargaining over the next four months.

What's Going On?

Webinar Recap: Classification Arbitration

CEC hosted a webinar on April 9, 2025 for human resources personnel on the classification arbitration process, with 135 attendees from Ontario public colleges. The session covered important information about:

• Preparation of the Position Description Form (PDF)
• The Grievance Process
• Expedited Arbitration Process
• Document and Timelines
• Evidence & Briefings
• The Hearing
• Using Legal Counsel

A recording is available for registered HR members of the College sector on the CEC website, under the Support section of the Reference Documents & Manuals page.

Benefits Update

As a reminder, effective May 1, 2025, the premium share for optional vision, hearing and dental care will be adjusted to 75% employee paid/25% employer paid for partial-load (PL) employees. Any employee who had a PL contract from January 2 - April 30, 2025, and who submitted the required forms to their benefits administrator by April 17, 2025 is eligible for this coverage from the start of their next PL contract, including PL employees who previously declined vision, hearing and/or dental care.

Questions about this process at a college can be addressed to college benefits administrators.

Bargaining Update
Part-time Academic Staff

The Ontario Labour Relations Board (OLRB), on April 16, 2025, officially certified a union for part-time and sessional professors, instructors, counsellors and librarians, to be represented by OPSEU/SEFPO.

The ORLB confirmed that more than 50 per cent of participating members voted in favour of joining OPSEU/SEFPO, with approximately 3,600 votes cast. There are about 12,750 employees in this group.

CEC expects to receive notice to begin bargaining in the coming weeks. Further updates will be provided once dates for that process have been established.

Part-time Support Staff

Conciliation between the CEC and part-time support staff will begin on May 1. On January 23, 2025, the CEC filed for conciliation with the part-time support staff bargaining team. 

We remain hopeful that an agreement will be reached with the CAAT-PTSS bargaining team to provide stability for students, employees, and the greater college community.

Full-time Support Staff

The current collective agreement with Ontario colleges’ full-time support staff expires on August 31, 2025. CEC and the CAAT-FTSS bargaining team have scheduled a number of bargaining sessions throughout the summer, with a goal to reach an agreement prior to the expiration of the current collective agreement.   

Full-time and Partial-Load Academic Employees

The binding arbitration hearing for the CEC and the full-time and partial-load academic staff is scheduled for June 14-16, 2025. OPSEU agreed to CEC's proposal of binding arbitration on January 8 to avert a strike.

Arbitrator William Kaplan will mediate and then arbitrate on proposals that remain unresolved. His report is expected to be issued shortly after the conclusion of the hearing.