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CAUT stands with Ontario college faculty

(Ottawa – 16 October 2017) The Canadian Association of University Teachers (CAUT) stands with the more than 12,000 Ontario college faculty and librarians on strike for a fair deal.

The teachers, represented by the Ontario Public Sector Employees Union (OPSEU), took job action today after the College Employer Council failed to agree to longer contracts for part-time faculty, and the adoption of academic freedom guarantees.

“We carefully crafted a proposal that responded to Council’s concerns about costs in a fair and reasonable way,” said JP Hornick, chair of the union bargaining team. “Unfortunately, Council refused to agree on even the no-cost items, such as longer contracts for contract faculty and academic freedom,” she said.

“College teachers in Ontario are taking a stand for quality education, and they have the support of academic staff across the country,” says CAUT executive director David Robinson. “The principles at stake – job security, academic freedom, and better governance – are ones worth fighting for.”

OPSEU is calling for the number of full-time faculty to match the number of faculty members on contract. The union represents faculty at Ontario’s 24 public colleges.