It will be business as usual tomorrrow at Sault College after a last-minute tentative agreement was reached with faculty, averting a strike at the province's 24 community colleges.
The following are news releases issued tonight by Sault College and the Ontario Public Service Employee's Union.
************************************ Classes running Wednesday, March 3
All Sault College day and evening classes will run on normal schedules tomorrow, March 3.
A tentative agreement has been reached to avert a strike by academic bargaining unit employees across Ontario’s community college system.
************************************ Tentative agreement for college faculty
TORONTO, March 2 - Negotiators for community college faculty have reached a tentative two-year agreement. The contentious issue of workload has been referred to a joint task force.
The contract provides for pay increases of 3 per cent retroactive to Sept. 1, 2003, with a further 0.5 per cent April 1, 2004; 2 per cent Sept. 1, 2004 and 1.8 per cent April 1, 2005.
The tentative settlement averts a strike by 8,600 teachers counsellors and librarians which had been set to begin Wednesday, March 3.
**************************** From OPSEU's website:
"Other gains see the recognition allowance increase to $1,400 from $700 on April 1, 2005.
"Management's insistence on the drug card is gone, and the drug benefit plan remains unchanged.
"The agreement says that every college must have a return to work policy for people on long-term disability.
"And the joint insurance committee has been charged with finding ways to make retiree benefits more affordable.
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