Unions work in the best interest of the members they represent. When a collective agreement between an employer and employees expires, it’s up to management and the union representatives to reach a deal for a new contract.
Labour action in Ontario’s post-secondary education system can happen and it’s best to be prepared. See below to learn about labour action terms, a general strike FAQ, and more.
Key terms
College Employer Council (CEC) – The College Employer Council (CEC) is the bargaining arm of 24 Ontario colleges. They are responsible for representing the interests of the college through the bargaining process. Negotiations are between a union of over 15,000 faculty members at colleges across Ontario and the CEC, which represents the employers.
College of Applied Art and Technology, Full time Support Staff (CAAT-FTSS) – CAAT-FTSS is the bargaining arm of the union, which represents the full-time support staff.
OPSEU – The Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU) is the union which represents public service employees in Ontario. Among the workers OPSEU represents are college professors, librarians and counsellors in Ontario. CAAT-FTSS is a part of OPSEU, but refers specifically to the negotiating party involved in developing the new collective agreement.
Collective Agreement – The agreement between the employer (CEC) and the union (CAAT-FTSS). The previous collective agreement expired in August 2025.
Strike Vote – A Strike Vote – often referred to as a Strike Authorization Vote – is a vote that must pass before labour action can be enacted.
Work-to-rule – Work-to-rule is a form of labour action in which the members of the union will do no more than the bare minimum required as outlined by their job description. . The full extent of how this will affect GBC students is not yet known, but it will likely mean delayed response times from professors and less access outside of office hours.
Binding Interest Arbitration – A mediation strategy proposed by CAAT-FTSS. This process would involve a third party arbitrator reviewing each side’s demands and coming up with a compromise between them. Both sides would then be locked into what the arbitrator decides. CAAT-FTSS offered this resolution strategy but the CEC declined it.
Final Offer Selection – Similar to binding interest arbitration, final offer selection is a resolution process in which a neutral third party is brought in. It differs from binding interest arbitration in that instead of the mediator compromising the demands of both parties, they will only select one set of demands in its entirety. This method was endorsed by the CEC but CAAT-FTSS did not agree to it.