Menu

Elementary Teachers

etfo-strikers-800x450-1-2

Elementary Teachers Ratify Three Year Contract

, ,

Members of the Elementary Teachers Federation of Ontario have ratified a new three year contract.

Instructors and education workers will receive a 1% pay hike per year as well as a 1% increase to benefits funding in each year of the deal.

The province is investing roughly $89.1-million over two years to address special education needs as well as mental health and well-being initiatives.

The government is maintaining full-day kindergarten and retaining the exisiting staffing model in kindergarten and grades 1 to 8 in the next two school years.

Teachers will be provided with one half-day of violence prevention training in each of the upcoming two school years.

The collective agreement will be effective September 1st, 2019, through to August 31st, 2022.

 

etfo-logo_med_hr-1

Tentative Contract Reached For Elementary Teachers

, , ,

If schools do re-open as scheduled on April 6th, Elementary teachers across the province will be able to work with one less concern on their mind.

A tentative deal has been reached with the Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario and the government.

Separate tentative central agreements have been negotiated for ETFO’s teachers, occasional teacher and education worker members.

Details of the contract won’t be released until ratification.

ETFO President Sam Hammond says “This has been a very prolonged and difficult bargaining process. We are very grateful for the support and unwavering solidarity of our members, and the public who have continued to stand up for public education and the supports that our students and educators need now and in the future.”

Hammond adds “while ETFO’s Provincial Executive has endorsed the terms of these tentative central agreements, the decision to accept them ultimately rests with ETFO’s 83,000 members.”

The union is suspending strike action immediately pending the results of the votes.

The Ford government says it remains focused on landing further deals with the province’s other teachers’ unions.

 

brown-1

Talks With Elementary Teachers Set For Wednesday

, ,

Bargaining will resume Wednesday between the Elementary Teachers Federation of Ontario and the provincial government.

The talks will be the first since the end of January.

However, the ETFO has announced plans to begin rotating strike action after the March break if no deal is reached.

Union Vice-President Karen Brown Campbell says they’re committed to protecting the province’s education system.

“We want the same commitment from the Ford government and Minister Lecce. And the best way for the government to show that is for them to come on Wednesday ready to problem solve with the ETFO.”

She stresses they don’t want to escalate job action but notes they will do so if a fair deal can’t be reached.

Brown Campbell says “let’s get serious at table. Support for students with special needs and class size are priority issues. These must be named at the bargaining table and not in front of a podium.”

ADRIAN-BARCA-e1581262435121-1

Northwest Monitor, February 16/20

, ,

On this week’s show, a Thunder Bay man with a rare skin condition receives news that could save his life, federal budget consultations in Kenora, and provincial police take a long bike ride to support a bike program for Pikangikum First Nation.

First, teachers continue their fight against what they say are education cuts that will have a detrimental affect on student learning.

The Elementary Teachers Federation of Ontario says it’s at the heart of their dispute with government in reaching a new deal.

Randy Thoms looks at some of the issues on the table, such as class size. We’ll hear one individual address comments that years ago it was common to have 40 kids to a class.

For the second time in less than two weeks pre-budget consultations were held in Kenora.

This time, it was federal. Tim Davidson spoke with Mona Fortier, the Minister for Middle Class Prosperity about some of the issues that were raised. Those include child care at the women’s shelter, and working with the provincial government and its budget.

Provincial Police recently took a long distance bike ride in support of a bike program in Pikangikum First Nation.

The trip was a long one from Red Lake all the way to Pikangikum First Nation in the cold weather.

Reporter Rayson Martyn spoke to OPP Commissioner Thomas Carrique about the journey.

The mother of a 40-year-old Thunder Bay man,who is living with a rare skin condition, has received good news from a clinic in Russia.

Sheri Leviski-Kotyk sat down with Judy Holmes, the mother of Adrian Barca. She tells us her and her son’s story and how a special treatment called Phage will hopefully help to save his life.

etfo-strikers-1-800x450-3

Elementary Job Action Continues

, ,

Elementary teachers are continuing their strike efforts as a deal has yet to be reached with the provincial government.

Mike Judge is a regional rep with the Elementary Teachers Federation of Ontario and he says instructors are hurting being out on strike pay but notes they are dedicated and won’t give up their fight.

“Everyone has mortgages. Everyone has car payments. Everybody has their things in their lives that cost money. It is a huge pinch when you talk about missing multiple days off of a pay period. For lot’s of people that’s a real strain but they are happy to be out here (picket line) in support of public education.”

Judge stresses instructors want to be in the classroom helping students and not on strike.

He notes escalating job action may occur but states securing a deal with the province is their top priority right now.

Schools were closed for two days this week across the Keewatin-Patricia School District.

Another two days of strikes are planned by local elementary teachers next Tuesday and Thursday.

OSSTF-strike-800x450-1-2

Elementary Teachers Resume Talks With Province

, ,

Contract talks between the Elementary Teachers Federation of Ontario and the province resume today. (Wednesday)

The union says it was the mediator in the negotiations who reached out to both parties to get together again.

They haven’t talked since the middle of December.

Since then, ETFO has initiated rotating strikes that are scheduled to continue next Wednesday and Thursday in the Keewatin-Patricia School District.

 

kpdsb-sign-1

No Report Cards For Elementary Students

, , ,

The Keewatin-Patricia District School Board confirms elementary teachers won’t input marks, grades and comments on provincial report cards.

The job action impacts all students from Grade 1 to 8 for term number one.

Alternative report cards for special education students will also not be carried out.

Board officials say they can’t provide a timeline as to when report cards will be available to families.

They note regular assessments are continuing in area schools and anyone who has questions or concerns about their child’s progress is encouraged to contact their child’s teacher.

OSSTF-strike-800x450-1-2

Local Elementary Schools Closed Monday

, , ,

Elementary schools will be closed on Monday across the Keewatin-Patricia District School Board.

The Elementary Teachers Federation of Ontario one-day strikes will hit our communities on January 27th.

High Schools will remain open and exams will take place as scheduled at all Secondary schools.

The rotating strikes are impacting all elementary schools in Thunder Bay today.

The union says it’s now 34 days since their last bargaining session on December 19, 2019.

ETFO President Sam Hammond says they are taking this action because they are disappointed that Education Minister Stephen Lecce has not come back to the bargaining table to negotiate key issues.

Hammond says government negotiators haven’t responded to ETFO’s proposals on supports for students with special needs or addressing violence in schools.

Lecce has framed compensation as the sticking point in negotiations with all of the major teachers’ unions, but Hammond says that has barely been discussed at the bargaining table.

Other key issues include larger class sizes and mandatory online courses.

OSSTF-strike-800x450-1-2

Escalated Job Action By Elementary Teachers

, ,

Public elementary teachers are stepping up job action in search of a new contract.

Kim Douglas is the local president of the Elementary Teachers Federation of Ontario and she says talks at the bargaining table have stalled.

“Table talks are not really conductive. People are coming to the table and they are unable to make decisions. Conversations are happening that have to be sent to Minister Lecce and things aren’t being addressed.”

Douglas says “We’ve had quite a few meetings with the provincial government. We haven’t had very much success at the bargaining table. Very evident from the tweets that Minister Lecce’s putting out that progress is slow, if any, and we’re having quite a difficulty achieving any kind of meeting that has substantial issues resolved.”

Instructors will no longer supervise extra-curricular activities outside normal school hours or participate in field trips.

Teachers won’t be at school any earlier than 30 minutes for the start, leaving with 15 minutes after the final bell.

Douglas says “We understand that the parents will be disappointed and frustrated with the additional strike action but we’ve got to stand up to this government. The Ford government is trying to make public education cheaper, while we’re fighting to make it better.”

etfo-logo_med_hr-2-1

Elementary Teachers Step Up Job Action

, ,

Public elementary teachers are ramping up their job action to back demands for a new contract.

Beginning Monday, members of the Elementary Teachers Federation of Ontario will no longer supervise extra-curricular activities outside normal school hours or participate in field trips.

Teachers won’t be at school any earlier than 30 minutes for the start, leaving with 15 minutes after the final bell.

This is in addition to a number of administrative duties they withdrew from in November.

The union is also planning to stage rotating strikes beginning January 20th if no deal with the province is reached by the 17th.

Load More