Changes coming for some Sault College staff

NEWS RELEASE

ONTARIO MINISTRY OF TRAINING, COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES

************************* McGuinty government announces intention to recognize bargaining rights for part-time college workers

Kevin Whitaker appointed to review Colleges Collective Bargaining Act TORONTO, August 30 - The Ontario government intends to introduce legislative amendments that would extend collective bargaining rights to part-time college workers, Chris Bentley, Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities announced today.

"Our government proposes to recognize collective bargaining rights for part-time college workers as part of a broad review of collective bargaining at colleges," said Bentley.

"In just four years, we've increased college funding by 30 percent after 12 years where funding went down. Now we're planning for the future, beginning with a review of the legislation governing college labour relations, by drawing upon Kevin Whitaker's extensive experience."

Kevin Whitaker, chair of the Ontario Labour Relations Board, the College Relations Commission and the Education Relations Commission, has been appointed to conduct a broad-based review of the Colleges Collective Bargaining Act (CCBA).

The review will examine the current act and whether it enables Ontario's colleges to meet their mandate, to respond to changing needs of students, employers and their local communities, and to establish and maintain good labour relations.

A labour relations adjudicator, arbitrator and mediator, Kevin Whitaker practiced as a labour lawyer from 1989 to 1995, including two years as counsel to the Workers' Compensation Appeals Tribunal.

He was appointed to the Ontario Labour Relations Board in 1995 and is a member of the Board of Directors of the Council of Canadian Administrative Tribunals.

Whitaker has written and lectured widely on a variety of labour relations issues, and is a graduate of Queen's University and Osgoode Hall Law School.

"Colleges are an integral part of Ontario's postsecondary education and training system," said Whitaker. "I look forward to reviewing and reporting on how the CCBA can best meet students' changing needs while supporting fair labour relations."

Ontario's 24 colleges employ more than 35,000 academic and support staff and serve approximately 250,000 students.

This includes 150,000 postsecondary students and about 100,000 students enrolled in programs such as apprenticeships, co-op diploma apprenticeship programs, literacy and basic skills programs, and international students.

A written report setting out the review's findings and recommendations will be submitted to Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities by the end of February, 2008. *************************