A collective agreement is a written contract of employment covering a group of employees who are represented by a trade union. This agreement contains provisions governing the terms and conditions of employment.

Collective bargaining is a process in which a trade union and an employer negotiate a first collective agreement or the renewal of a previous collective agreement.

Yes, Brock is currently negotiating renewed collective agreements with two unions:

1. CUPE 1295 - Expired April 30, 2019 (representing employees in trades, maintenance and custodial positions);
2. CUPE 4207 Local 1 - Expired September 6, 2019 (representing contract Instructors, Teaching Assistants, Course Coordinators, Lab Demonstrators and Marker/Graders)

Either the employer or the union may apply to the Ministry of Labour to appoint a conciliation officer. This officer will then try to help the parties reach an agreement.

Conciliation is a process by which a union or an employer can apply to the Ministry of Labour for help in reaching a collective agreement.

Yes, CUPE 4207 Local 1 and CUPE 1295 have requested the appointment of a conciliation officer.

The conciliation officer informs the Ministry of Labour that a collective agreement could not be reached. The Ministry of Labour then issues a notice informing the union and the employer that the ministry "does not consider it advisable to appoint a conciliation board". This notice is commonly known as the “no-board report”.

If the parties have not reached a settlement in conciliation and the “no-board report” has been sent to the parties, the Ministry of Labour offers the services of a mediator to confer with the parties and to try to reach a collective agreement.

A strike is any cessation of work including work slowdown, resulting in an interruption of the employer’s operations by bargaining unit employees.

Bargaining unit members cannot lawfully strike unless a strike vote by secret ballot is taken by the Union and more than 50% of voting bargaining unit members vote in favour of the strike.  A successful strike vote authorizes the union’s representatives to set a strike deadline and call a strike if they believe that further negotiations with the employer will not reach a collective agreement.

No. The parties to a collective agreement may continue to negotiate and reach an agreement, despite the fact that a strike deadline has been set.