Last fall, the Ontario Superior Court of Justice declared the Protecting a Sustainable Public Sector for Future Generations Act (formerly Bill 124) violated the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, on the grounds that the legislation interfered with collective bargaining rights. OCUFA member organizations have called for changes to their collective agreements, now that the restrictions placed on wages and other bargaining rights have been struck down. Following are some recent successes:
Trent University
TUFA was the first association to reach a deal after Justice Koehnen’s decision to strike down Bill 124, after having already served the bulk of its moderation period under the previous agreement. Salary increases included an immediate increase of 1.75 per cent for January 1, 2023, cutting short the union’s moderation period by six months. Three per cent increases were achieved for the second and third years, applied on July 1.
Wilfrid Laurier University
The WLUFA full-time unit was successful in recapturing a $900 lump sum that was precluded while Bill 124 was in force. The university has now provided eligible members with the Ontario System Adjustment amount.