Teachers’ Unions wait for ratification
The Ontario English Catholic Teacher’s Association (OECTA) is 1 of 4 teachers’ unions negotiating new collective agreements in Ontario. The OECTU is steadfast in its position to stand its ground for the sake of education for students in Ontario. The OECTU issued a news release on March 3, 2020, entitled, Ontario English Catholic Teacher’s Association News Release OECTA Statement on Bargaining (URL http://www.catholicteachers.ca/OECTA/media/pdfs/News/2020/mar/NR_2020-010.pdf). The news release speaks some harsh words towards the Ford government on the demands of the OECTA.
Teachers in Ontario push back on the provincial government to preserve the standard of learning for future generations. The OECTA is willing to concede on the wage and benefit increases if the provincial government preserves the all day kindergarten, keeps resources in schools, allows e-learning to be optional, discontinues teacher layoffs, provides resources and supports for the vulnerable students, etc.
Although we do not know the details of the collective agreement, it was reported in the National Post on March 12th, 2020 there has been an interim agreement made. The agreement is currently confidential until after the ratification vote on April 7th and 8th, 2020. Ultimately, the membership for the Association will vote for or against the agreement. We should look forward to an update after the April vote (URL: https://nationalpost.com/news/newsalertenglish-catholic-teachers-reach-tentative-deal-with-ontario-government). If the agreement is not ratified by the union membership, the parties may be back at the negotiating table.
Recently, on March 20th, 2020, the Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario (EFTO) also reached an interim collective agreement with ratification to follow some time in the near future( URL: https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/ontario-reaches-tentative-contract-deal-elementary-teachers-1.5505373)
Overall, the teachers are invested in the future of the students and their education. They seemed to have bartered using the wage discussion as leverage to negotiate a better outcome for students. We will not know the full details of the collective agreements until after the ratification votes.
References:
Ontario English Catholic Teacher’s Association News Release OECTA Statement on Bargaining (March 3, 2020) The Canada Press URL http://www.catholicteachers.ca/OECTA/media/pdfs/News/2020/mar/NR_2020-010.pdf).
Ontario English Catholic teachers reach tentative contract deal with province (March 12, 2020) The Canadian Press, The National Post, URL https://nationalpost.com/news/newsalertenglish-catholic-teachers-reach-tentative-deal-with-ontario-government)
Ontario reaches tentative contract deal with province’s largest teachers’ union ETFO (March 20, 2020) The Canadian Press, CBC URL https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/ontario-reaches-tentative-contract-deal-elementary-teachers-1.5505373
Tiffany Johnston 