BACK TO SCHOOL: Bargaining underway between training unions and province

Ontario’s main training unions filed notices to cut price in June prematurely of collective agreements expiring on the finish of August, and a few talks have been taking place over the summer season.

Right here’s the place issues stand.

CUPE’s Ontario College Boards Council of Unions (OSBCU)

Following a proposal tabled by the province to CUPE’s OSBCU on Aug. 15, the union, which represents 55,000 training staff introduced it will be holding a strike vote between Sept. 23 and Oct. 2.

The province has provided an annual two per cent increase over 4 years for staff incomes lower than $40,000 and a 1.25 per cent enhance for many who earn greater than that. The union has known as it a “callously disrespectful supply.” The union is searching for a rise of round 11.7 per cent annually over three years ($3.25 an hour) for its members.

President Laura Walton defined in an internet information convention on Aug. 22 the union is “not on a path to strike” and the vote needs to be a sign, “the established order and concessions usually are not what college students, Ontario households or staff deserve.” She added voting won’t begin till all bargaining dates provided have been exhausted.

In an Aug. 26 release shared on-line, CUPE’s OSBCU introduced it has filed a request for conciliation.

Walton confirmed in an interview on Aug. 29 members can be again within the classroom firstly of the varsity yr and there’s no job motion deliberate.

“It’s all about bettering our training system by way of getting good, high quality funding elevated with good, certified individuals paid dwelling wages to be performing this work in order that our children and are faculties could be profitable,” stated Walton on her message to folks.

Ontario Secondary Colleges Academics’ Federation (OSSTF)

OSSTF says the union is within the “very early” levels of the bargaining course of. There are upcoming bargaining dates in September for academics and training staff.

In her handle on the OSSTF Presidents’ Symposium 2022, on Aug. 18, president Karen Littlewood stated stability appears to be like like “totally funding public training and investing in Ontario’s college students, making certain faculties are correctly staffed, compensation that addresses price of dwelling will increase and bargaining in good religion, and never by way of laws and undoubtedly not within the media.”

Talking to media after her speech, Littlewood stated they’re searching for class sizes that may meet the wants of scholars as Grade 9 and 10 courses head into destreaming. She additionally stated members can be again in faculties.

“Completely, OSSTF members can be within the faculty this fall and we’ll proceed to cut price for the very best curiosity of our members,” Littlewood instructed reporters.

Ontario English Catholic Academics’ Affiliation (OECTA)

In a press release supplied on Aug. 24, OECTA president Barb Dobrowolski stated provincial stage bargaining “has solely simply begun.” They’ve had two central bargaining dates up to now, with “a number of extra” scheduled within the coming weeks.

Dobrowolski stated Catholic academics are dedicated to working collectively to appreciate a good settlement that achieves the very best for college kids, academics, training staff and households. Colleges work finest when there’s significant collaboration between authorities, faculty boards and academics.

“With the beginning of the brand new faculty yr proper across the nook, Catholic academics are excited to get again to the classroom, reconnect with college students and colleagues, and to get this yr off to a constructive begin,” learn the assertion.

Elementary Academics’ Federation of Ontario (ETFO)

In a July 26 assertion posted on-line, ETFO president Karen Brown stated members can be in faculties once they reopen for the 2022-2023 faculty yr.

“Like the scholars they serve, educators are wanting ahead to a steady and secure return to in-person studying,” stated Brown.

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