I’m a university graduate and the majority of my colleagues have post-secondary education. We run job fairs for students and graduates, review applications and transcripts with a high degree of accuracy in order to ensure we have qualified students and a fair admissions process, disperse OSAP, bursaries and scholarships, tutor and support students in academics, we’re nurses and counselors, we run the gym, nutrition and health programs, we’re IT support staff who keep everything running behind the scenes, all systems go for staff, faculty and of course students who rely on the IT infrastructure to access timetables, book lists, important info about scholarships, OSAP, exams, projects, homework, the list goes on.
My college president earned $181,000 in 2008. His salary increased to $270,000 in 2010. Our VPA saw a $40,000 increase in salary in the same 3-year period… our VP Marketing and Communications over $20,000.
When we were without a president, the college still ran smoothly, when we’re without support staff, the place falls apart. Our president got a nearly 50% salary increase and no one batted an eye. We’ve asked for 3% a year and there’s public outcry. I don’t get it.
We’re asking for inflation and even then money is secondary to the significant and historical changes presented by our employer . An employer who won’t negotiate, in fact refuses to even come to the table, although that’s not what they’re telling the media.
We support our families, our students and our communities. But that doesn’t matter anymore because for the first time in 32 years we’ve pushed back on changes that fundamentally change the face of the workforce in this province.
OPSEU College Support Staff Member
Originally posted as a response to article on CBC.ca – Sept. 2011
Supporting OPSEU College Support Staff 