Almost two thirds of Ontario college faculty work on contracts with no job security
Illustration by Sam Bullis
“The only way to explain it, is a rollercoaster,” says a partial-load professor at George Brown College (GBC) who spoke to The Dialog on the condition that we not print their name due to the precarious nature of the position. “I’m committed to doing it because I love it and I think I’m good at it and I have something to offer, but it is very, very tough for people who do not have a second revenue stream.”
Partial-load teaching positions were initially established to test the viability of new program areas, but these positions contain no job security says J.P. Hornick, chief steward for the Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU) Local 556 representing faculty at George Brown College (GBC).
A 2014 Report on Education in Ontario Colleges commissioned by OPSEU shows that 64 per cent of college instructors are contract faculty, which includes partial-load, part-time, and sessional employees.
“We have to sign three contracts a year, a new contract every semester with no idea or indication as to what we’re going to get,” said the unnamed professor, “So, from a financial point-of-view it can have huge impacts on us, and at the same time if you are trying to run your own business, it’s very difficult to plan your own business—you’re always putting it on hold.”
Comparing the college system to General Motors (GM), who plans for the year ahead, the professor said that the internal set-up (of the college), “needs to be corrected so we can get to a year-long contract for individuals,” adding that if GM can project ahead of time, then why can’t the colleges?
“People are afraid to speak out and talk, and that’s why there’s this big backlash about anything about the union,” said the professor, who, with over 20 years experience of teaching at the post-secondary level, adds that it’s unfair because they have a right to represent themselves, but people won’t because of the fear of retribution.
Contract faculty are fearful that their jobs could be replaced at any time, and according to the collective agreement between the union and the College Employers Council, job security has no application to partial-load teachers, and contract faculty can be released after receiving a 30 day written notice.
According to the professor the collective agreement doesn’t go far enough, and it doesn’t look at the contribution that partial-load instructors put in as they are only paid for their class hours, with added expectations to be in attendance for meetings, on various committees, and work on other activities like orientation and award ceremonies.
“They don’t take attendance but they know when you’re not there, and people that don’t participate don’t get the hours and they don’t get the contracts, like they did before,” they added, also feeling that seniority system, or lack of, is being disregarded.
“There’s a lot of monkeying around where they’ll bring someone in from outside and take the course, and then all of a sudden you no longer have that course even though that’s the course you’ve been teaching for a number of years,” they said. “As far as the collective agreement goes, it’s been a really long haul with that. We were hoping for a higher, greater movement on it. It’s still very unclear as to what’s happening about seniority.”
According to Hornick, even if the partial-load instructor can prove that the college has violated collective agreement, “they can’t file a grievance without fear of not being hired back.”
The professor adds that while partial-load faculty are backed by the union and have the opportunity to file grievances, “it depends on whether they’re supported. Filing a grievance is one thing, but being supported is another.”
Nancy Hood, vice-president of human resources and organizational development at GBC, says it’s open competition for both full-time faculty and partial-load instructors when a current or new full-time position becomes available, although the necessary education, skills and industry experience required is taken into consideration.
“It is important to note that the college balances out in the selection process what we call ‘dual professionalism’—the successful candidate should be a strong teacher as well as have industry professional experience,” says Hood.
