OSSTF/FEESO Reaches Tentative Agreement With Wilfrid Laurier University

TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - June 20, 2014) - Support staff at Wilfrid Laurier University, represented by the Ontario Secondary School Teachers' Federation (OSSTF/FEESO), have reached a tentative agreement with the university after three months of bargaining.

Connie Palenik, president of the OSSTF/FEESO Bargaining Unit, said, "This has not been an easy round of bargaining, and it took a lot of work to find common ground on some key issues. But in the end we were able to reach a fair agreement with tangible improvements for our members."

Rob Gascho, a member of OSSTF/FEESO's Provincial Executive and chair of the negotiating committee, said, "I think this shows that when both parties are committed to working hard at real negotiations, it's always possible to arrive at a fair deal. We're very pleased to have reached a reasonable settlement that provides our members with concrete improvements."

A ratification vote has not yet been scheduled, but will take place within a week.

OSSTF/FEESO, founded in 1919, has 60,000 members across Ontario. They include public high school teachers, occasional teachers, educational assistants, continuing education teachers and instructors, early childhood educators, psychologists, secretaries, speech-language pathologists, social workers, plant support personnel, university support staff, and many others in education.