Education Minister Confirms ETFO's demands in excess of $3.2 billion

TORONTO, June 23, 2015 /CNW/ -

On Tuesday June 23, the Toronto Star reported the following:

"On Monday, (Minister) Sandals also confirmed figures from the Ontario Public School Boards' Association that ETFO's demands — including wage made in writing and verbally — would cost $3.2 billion.

The school boards' association said ETFO is seeking a three per cent raise each year for three years, plus cost-of-living increases.

"The total cost of their proposal is well in excess of $3 billion," Sandals said, warning there is no money in the provincial budget for teacher wage hikes unless the unions offset the costs by giving something else up."

The Minister also commented on ETFO's absence from the bargaining table. "It's obvious that ETFO is not at the table, nor has it been. . . ETFO has been continuously missing."

OPSBA agrees that solving problems means people have to talk to each other. Once again, we strongly encourage ETFO to return to the table and engage with us in meaningful dialogue about the issues so that we can work towards a negotiated settlement.

Fact: OPSBA has never left the bargaining table. ETFO has walked away three times and currently refuses to come to the bargaining table unless the Crown and the school board association drop every one of their proposals.

SOURCE Ontario Public School Boards' Association

Jeff Sprang, OPSBA Communications, 416-340-2540, Cell 416-903-3241