15,000 college faculty members across Ontario will not go on strike this week, thanks to an agreement made by the College Employer Council (CEC) and the Ontario Public Services Employees Union (OPSEU) on Tuesday, Jan. 7, 2025.
On Jan. 4, 2025, OPSEU announced being in a legal strike position, after contract negotiations with the CEC that began on July 15, 2024. Both OPSEU and the CEC were in non-binding mediation on Jan. 6, 2025 and Jan. 7, 2025.
CEC CEO Graham Lloyd confirmed that a breakthrough was reached around 11:00 p.m. on Jan. 7, with both sides agreeing to binding arbitration. Lloyd added that a deal on enhanced benefits was finalized and will not be part of the arbitration process.
Jack Urowitz, president of OPSEU Local 244 representing Sheridan College faculty, stated that arbitrator William Kaplan will rule on the new contract, expected by June 2025.
As a result, classes across the province, including at Sheridan College, will continue without disruption. Both online and in-person courses are proceeding as scheduled, and faculty remain on the job.
“The strike was unnecessary, and we’re very happy it’s been averted so that students can remain in the classroom where they belong,” said Lloyd.
However, tensions remain between the two parties.
Oakville News first reported on the possibility of a strike among faculty back in October 2024, and tension between college faculty and management still growing despite the hopeful news of this deal.
Read more here: Sheridan College professors to hold strike vote
Lloyd claimed the union’s demands during mediation would have cost nearly $1 billion, citing wage increases, a reduction in teaching time to nine hours per week, and five weeks of self-directed time off as contributing factors.
Union representatives, however, said details weren't provided when Lloyd first stated the claim during mediation this week. “You can’t just say it’s going to amount to $1 billion—you have to show why it’s $1 billion,” said Urowitz.
One of the union’s priorities was updating the workload formula, which Urowitz noted has not been revised since 1986. “That was before the digital revolution,” he said. “With the extra work we now have due to technology, student accommodations, and challenges faced by international students, we need a new formula.”
Urowitz expressed hope that this issue will be addressed during arbitration.
While the strike has been avoided, Urowitz emphasized that Sheridan College faces ongoing challenges, including staff and faculty layoffs announced in 2024 and programs under efficiency reviews.
“I know the number of personal lives that will be devastated is just unstoppable,” he said. “The people who are going to be laid off are going to be the least senior. You’re talking about newly married people, those who just bought a house, or those who just had their first child. Now, all of a sudden, they’re out of work. It’s going to be terrible.”