OPSEU launches Charter challenge over back-to-work legislation
Posted Nov 23, 2017 04:28:08 PM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
The Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU) is launching a Charter challenge of the Ontario government’s back-to-work legislation that ended the five week college faculty strike.
The union’s position is that the government trampled the right to collective bargaining with the legislation.
OPSEU President Warren ‘Smokey’ Thomas figures back-to-work legislation was the goal all along — adding the union’s position was the government could have put someone at the table in the talks with the College Bargaining Team weeks ago.
“They kept saying they couldn’t possibly do that,” Thomas said. “They had no options, they couldn’t interfere, and of course after five weeks, after the college loses the vote (on the contract) they call a meeting and the Premier calls a meeting, gives three options — deal, no deal, legislation. So of course the college [bargaining unit] thought ‘Well, what the heck, we’ll roll the dice and go with legislation.'”
On November 16, 86 per cent of college faculty voted to reject the colleges’ contract offer.
Thomas said the government’s urging to resume negotiations was a “sham,” adding it’s ironic — but not funny — that the government passed Bill 148 — that improves certain labour standards, but then trampled the rights of 12,000 college faculty.
He emphasizes there will be no impact on students from the Charter challenge.
