COLLEGE EMPLOYER COUNCIL
CEC requests no board report in response to impasse in negotiations with part-time support staff

The College Employer Council (CEC), representing Ontario's 24 publicly funded colleges requested that the Ontario Ministry of Labour issue a no board report, following more than 16 months of unsuccessful negotiations with the bargaining team representing part-time support staff (CAAT-PTSS).

Most recently, the parties failed to make meaningful headway in a one-day conciliation session on May 1, 2025. On six separate occasions during the months-long bargaining process, the CEC has requested that the Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU) CAAT-PTSS bargaining team agree to mediation, with no positive response. This request for a no board report has been deemed necessary to break the impasse in negotiations.

"Ontario colleges value the important work of part-time support staff for students and the post-secondary education system," said Graham Lloyd, CEO for the CEC. "The CAAT-PTSS bargaining team has delayed or ignored repeated requests to respond to mediation, preventing us from reaching a strong and fair renewed collective agreement. Their delays are no longer acceptable. We do not understand their resistance and hope requesting a no board report will cause them to return to the bargaining table through mediation."

A no board report is a formal notice issued by the Minister of Labour indicating that a board of conciliation will not be appointed. Once the Ministry of Labour issues a no board report, there will be a 16-day cooling-off period. On the 17th day after a no board report is issued, the previous collective agreement will no longer be binding. At that point, the union could hold a strike vote and, if a strike mandate is received, then give notice of labour action and engage in a strike. The CEC could also choose to unilaterally change the terms and conditions of the existing collective agreement or lock out employees.

Since formal negotiations began in January 2024, the CEC has offered significant wage increases and groundbreaking provisions on important issues, such as sick days and pay for cancelled shifts for regularly scheduled part-time employees, and enhanced protections around sexual harassment and job insecurity. These proposals aim to benefit the approximately 15,000 part-time support staff, including student employees, represented by the CAAT-PTSS bargaining team.

A no-board report does not prevent the parties from continuing to bargain during that time. The CEC remains hopeful that an agreement will be reached with the CAAT-PTSS bargaining team to provide stability for students, employees, and the greater college community.

For updates on these negotiations, please visit www.CollegeEmployerCouncil.ca