Congratulations are in order for the Brescia Faculty Association (BFA). The BFA managed to organize Brescia contract faculty and get them consolidated into the main bargaining unit just two days before Bill 47 passed. Introduced by Doug Ford’s Progressive Conservatives, Bill 47 wiped consolidation language from the Ontario Labour Relations Act.
The previous Ontario government introduced the now deleted consolidation language in 2017. It made it easier for the province’s unions to streamline and strengthen their bargaining units. Despite the objections and delay tactics of the Brescia University College administration, the Ontario Labour Board determined that the BFA’s application was in order and approved the consolidation of the existing unit with the new unit.
The BFA follows the University of Ontario Institute of Technology Faculty Association (UOITFA) as only the second faculty association granted consolidation between the passing of Bill 148 in 2017 and Bill 47 in 2018. All new consolidations can only result from negotiations with the employer.
Both faculty associations saw an opportunity and, by moving quickly, were able to organize new contract faculty members into their existing bargaining units.