Negotiations continue today to avert a strike by 65 hundred support staff at Ontario’s 24 colleges.
The Vice President of Georgian College is leading the Bargaining team.
Cheryl Simpson tells Bayshore Broadcasting News they have put a competitive offer on the table for the OPSEU members to consider.
The proposed two year deal would see a three per cent raise in each year.
But the union wants a four per cent wage increase a year.
Simpson believes they can work out an agreement before the current contract expires at the end of August.
Wages and benefits are the main issues.
The OPSEU bargaining team received a strike mandate of 69 per cent after a vote last month.
In the meantime, Simpson says the management at the 24 colleges are putting together contingency plans in case of a strike.
She says the College’s will open in September no matter what and students will be able to go to class and receive support services.
There are 65 hundred full time support workers at Ontario’s 24 colleges.
That includes 287 support staff at Georgian College — 15 of which work at the Owen Sound campus.
