On Dec. 18, 2024, the Ministry of Labour issued a No Board Report to CAAT-A, the bargaining team representing college faculty, librarians and counsellors. This means that by Jan. 4, the union will be in a position to begin labour action, which could include a strike.

College Faculty had previously voted overwhelmingly in favour of a strike mandate, with 79 per cent of union members voting yes to strike action if necessary. The union has made it clear that no labour action will take place without at least five days’ formal notice. At the time of writing this article (Dec. 27, 2024), there has been no notice of labour action from College Faculty, but it is possible that labour action could be announced on Dec. 29, 2024, leading to strike action as early as Jan. 4.

“We hope there will be no strike,” the College Employer Council (CEC) said in a statement on Dec. 18, 2024. “Only the union control whether it will call for a strike. The CEC remains committed to finding a solution to negotiations that will not impact students.”

The union, meanwhile, has made it clear they are not making concessions, and said the CEC has continued to table a contract which they say “amounts to a step backward for college faculty.”

“Faculty proposals centre on the foundations of quality education–less precarity, better wages, enhanced job security, and an end to the unpaid labour that the Workload Task Force identified the Colleges currently receive,” the bargaining team said in a statement on Dec. 18, 2024. “As faculty, we know what our teaching counterparts in school boards across Ontario are already experiencing: student needs are on the rise. Our current workload formula, which hasn’t been updated in 40 years, doesn’t cut it anymore.”

The union also cites precarious working conditions, stating that half their workforce is “only paid for hours they are in front of the class.”

The CEC and CAAT-A bargaining teams entered non-binding mediation between Dec. 6 and 8, 2024, after which the union filed an Unfair Labour Practice complaint against the CEC, claiming that the CEC was bargaining in bad faith.

“Members deserve the honest and realistic assessment that the CEC’s repeated unwillingness to bargain freely and fairly is unlikely to change without the urgency of labour action,” the union said.

Mediation is next scheduled for Jan. 6 and 7. While the union will be in a legal strike position at that time, mediation can continue, as well as potentially other forms of negotiations such as binding arbitration.

Students will be notified by the College should strike action occur. The Fanshawe Student Union (FSU) said it is hopeful the two sides can reach an agreement, avoiding strike action and any disruptions to student life.

“The FSU continues to remain hopeful that a negotiated settlement will be reached through these ongoing discussions,” it said in an update before the holiday break.

For updates, visit fanshawec.ca/strike-updates and be sure to check your Fanshawe Online (FOL) email for any direct communications regarding strike action.