An arbitrator has issued a three-year collective agreement between Ontario’s 24 public colleges and OPSEU/SEFPO, delivering retroactive wage increases and introducing paid sick days for approximately 15,000 part-time support workers.
The award, issued Dec. 15, covers the period from Feb. 1, 2024, to Jan. 31, 2027, and resolves outstanding issues following unsuccessful collective bargaining that began in January 2024. The previous agreement expired Jan. 31, 2024.
The bargaining unit includes students (6,335), casual workers (3,729), regular part-time employees (2,444), and temporary project workers (150), all working no more than 24 hours weekly in positions ranging from office and clerical to technical, health care, maintenance, building service, shipping, transportation, cafeteria and nursing staff.
Wage increases and retroactivity
The arbitrator awarded wage increases of 2.5 per cent effective Feb. 1, 2024, followed by two per cent on Feb. 1, 2025, and two per cent on Feb. 1, 2026. Retroactive pay will be distributed within 90 days of the award date to current employees only.
The award noted that “careful attention has been paid to normative interest arbitration most particularly replication: replication of free collective bargaining.” The arbitrator reviewed recent settlements for college faculty and full-time support staff, along with other public and broader public sector agreements.
New paid sick days
Regular part-time employees who have completed two weeks of employment will receive two paid sick days annually for absences due to illness, injury or medical emergency, effective 90 days from the award date.
Unused sick days will not accumulate year to year and are cancelled when employment ends. Sick pay is based on the employee’s regular scheduled hours for that day. If an employee takes any part of a day as sick leave, they are deemed to have taken one full day.
The paid sick days “include and are set off against the sick leave days to which an employee may be entitled pursuant to the Employment Standards Act, 2000,” the award stated.
Vacation pay enhancement
Effective Feb. 1, 2026, all employees will receive vacation pay equal to six per cent of wages earned during each pay period, up from the previous two-tiered system of four per cent for those with less than five years of service and six per cent for those with five or more years.
Bereavement leave expansion
The agreement amended bereavement leave to provide three or more days for deaths in the immediate family, with duration at the college’s discretion. The definition of immediate family now includes “chosen family,” defined in a note as “the important and established non-biological kinship bonds.”
The immediate family definition was expanded to include parent, spouse, child, stepchild, sibling, parent-in-law, sibling-in-law, child-in-law, grandparent, spouse’s grandparent, grandchild, guardian and chosen family. One day of bereavement leave applies for the death of an aunt, uncle, or the child of an employee’s sibling.
Shift cancellation protections
New language protects regular part-time employees from loss of pay if the college cancels their shift with less than 24 hours’ notice or sends them home early for reasons beyond their control.
Seniority and posting changes
The agreement introduced transfer provisions allowing accumulated service outside the bargaining unit to be credited toward seniority upon successful completion of probation, except for service accumulated before a break in employment of at least 13 consecutive weeks.
New language permits colleges to bypass reposting when a successful applicant leaves a position within six months. The college may reconsider applicants from the original posting, prioritizing internal applicants who were interviewed.
Job postings must now include position title, hourly rate, current locations, current hours of work, current shifts and basic qualifications. Current employees may request a copy of their position’s most recent posting.
Harassment policy updates
The sexual harassment article was amended to reference the Ontario Human Rights Code and require all colleges to maintain workplace sexual harassment policies. The time limits in the grievance procedure do not apply to harassment complaints, provided the complaint is made within a reasonable time considering all circumstances.
Extended coverage for student, temporary and casual workers
The agreement extended bereavement leave and health and safety provisions to student, temporary and casual employees. Student employees who are interviewed for bargaining unit positions may now request feedback on unsuccessful applications within five days of notification, with colleges required to provide feedback within 30 days after the position is filled.
New equity commitments
The parties agreed to two new letters of understanding addressing Indigenous commitment and equity, diversity and inclusivity. Both commit to discussing strategies and initiatives at union-college committees, with annual reporting to the Employee/Employer Relations Committee.
For more information, see College Employer Council v OPSEU/SEFPO, 2025 CanLII 129639 (ON LA).
