Part-Time Strike Mandate Vote On Now!
Check our our articles below on the most frequently asked collective agreement questions. Stewards are here to assist you! Contact us.
A collective agreement (or collective bargaining agreement) is a legally binding, joint agreement between the employer (the Ontario Colleges) and the union (OPSEU/SEFPO).
It specifies our rights and entitlements as workers and limits the employer’s power in the workplace.
It details wages, vacation, leave of absence, benefits, health and safety, job postings, dues, layoffs, seniority, discipline, dispute resolution, the grievance and arbitration process, and more.
There are separate collective agreements for full-time and part-time members.
The Part-Time collective agreement applies to:
Regular Part-Time employees - Continuous part-time positions with no end dates and regularly scheduled weekly hours. Some may work less than 12 months of the year.
Casual employees - Work on a call-in basis or do not have regularly scheduled weekly hours.
Temporary employees - Temporarily replacing a Regular Part-Time employee on leave for no more than nine months.
Student employees - Any non-Co-Op student working at and being paid wages by Mohawk College in a position only available to current college students. For example: CSEP student jobs, peer tutors, and camp counsellors.
Projects of non-recurring kind (PNRK) - Contract positions for non-recurring projects. PNRK positions may work 35 or more hours per week.
The Full-Time collective agreement applies to:
Regular full-time positions
Appendix D (temporary employee) positions - Temporarily replacing a full-time employee on leave from their position.
Initiatives/Opportunities positions - Full-time contract positions that have established end dates.
Dues are payments made by union members and are the union's sole funding source. Pooling resources ensures the continued operation of OPSEU/SEFPO and its Locals. Union dues are tax-deductible and will appear on your T4.
OPSEU/SEFPO Local 241 members pay Union dues and Local dues.
The Union dues are paid to OPSEU/SEFPO and support local operations and the provincial strike fund.
The Local dues are paid to Local 241 and supports the local strike fund.
OPSEU/SEFPO Union dues for all members
The OPSEU/SEFPO Union dues are 1.375% of your gross pay (before deductions).
Example: If your gross pay (before deductions) for a single pay period is $1000, you pay $13.75 to OPSEU.
Local dues for full-time members
Full-time members pay $4.50 local dues per paycheque.
Local dues for part-time members
Part-time Local dues are calculated at 0.2% based on your hourly rate and the number of hours you worked in that pay period.
Example: If your hourly rate is $20.00 and you worked 36 hours for that pay period, you pay ($20.00 x 36) x 0.002 = $1.44
Also known as a GMM, General Membership Meetings are large meetings for all local members. They occur a minimum of 2 times per year.
GMMs are where members take important action by discussing, voting, and getting informed on local matters.
Attendance is critical! We need a specific number of members in attendance (known as a quorum) to pass votes.
Some votes could include:
Approving the Local's annual budget
Making changes to our bylaws
Approving donations to charitable causes
Electing officers (president, VP, treasurer, etc.) every two years
Electing members to represent our Local at OPSEU/SEFPO provincial meetings and conventions
If an urgent matter requires a vote or discussion with members, an emergency GMM may be called. The Local will do its best to give you as much notice as possible for urgent meetings.
While GMMs are for all members, there may occasionally be business that only affects one bargaining unit. The Local will hold a separate meeting for that unit to discuss and vote on the matter.
Seniority is how long a member has worked as a bargaining unit member. Your seniority may not be the same as your years of service.
Some collective agreement articles use seniority in different processes. For example, when more than one internal applicant for a job has equal experience and qualifications, the person with the highest seniority would be the successful candidate.
Seniority lists are available on MyMohawk (new window). Seniority lists are updated 3 times per year.
No. When your probation is complete, you are credited with seniority equal to your probation period (FT article 14.1, PT article 17.1)
Yes! If you want to know your seniority calculation, contact your department's Human Resources Strategic Partner. Contact a Steward if you see any discrepancies.
If you are on pregnancy/parental leave.
If you are on a developmental leave.
If you are on leave using the pre-paid leave plan (full-time article 12.7).
If you are on short-term or long-term disability or receiving WSIB benefits (full-time article 14.2.6).
While on recall as a full-time employee
Part-time collective agreement article 17
Full-time collective agreement articles 14.1 and 14.2
A grievance is a formal complaint about violating the collective agreement, labour law, human rights, or an established and well-evidenced past practice. It's one of the tools and rights union members have to address workplace issues.
Grievances have strict timelines and follow a formal process. A grievance must be filed within 15 business days of the event that would give rise to the complaint. Contact the Local immediately if you have a concern.
Individual grievance - One person grieves that a management action violated their rights. For example, unjust discipline or denial of earned overtime.
Policy grievance - the Union grieves that a management action violates the collective agreement. For example, a new attendance policy or contracting out union jobs.
Full-time collective agreement: Article 18
Part-time collective agreement: Article 20