ETFO Niagara locals to stage one-day strike on Tuesday December 11

TORONTO, Dec. 8, 2012 /CNW/ - ETFO Niagara teachers and occasional teachers will stage a one-day strike this Tuesday December 11^th to send the government a message that Bill 115 is severely impeding local collective bargaining.

"There are two solutions to the chaos that the Minister of Education has created," said Sam Hammond, President of the Elementary Teachers' Federation of Ontario. "Along with repealing Bill 115, the Minister needs to step aside and give locals the latitude to have concrete and respectful discussions with all options on the table, in order to reach collective agreements."

"We are taking this action to bring attention to Bill 115's rigid parameters, and to try and move discussions forward," said Sharon Aloian, President of the Niagara Teacher Local. "It is in the best interests of everyone if we can reach an agreement with the board, which we have been trying to do."

"It is unfortunate that we are being forced into a strike because this government has taken away local autonomy," added Gary Anderson, President of Niagara Occasional Teacher Local. "It is also regrettable that occasional teachers are not being respected in this whole process."

Both locals moved into a legal strike position on December 3. They received no board reports through the conciliator appointed by the Ministry of Labour to resolve their bargaining impasse with the District School Board of Niagara.  During a vote on October 9, 2012, both locals received overwhelming mandates for strike action from their members. 

Fast Facts:

ETFO is the professional and protective organization representing over 76,000 teachers, occasional teachers, and education professionals employed in the public elementary schools of Ontario.

ETFO Niagara Teacher Local represents 1,484 elementary teachers employed by District School Board of Niagara. Niagara Occasional Teacher Local represents 650 Occasional Teachers.

Collective agreements for all ETFO locals expired on August 31, 2012.  Since then, ETFO members have been working without collective agreements in place.   

SOURCE: Elementary Teachers' Federation of Ontario

Sharon Aloian, Niagara Teacher Local President, 905-327-6750, [email protected]
Gary Anderson, Niagara Occasional Teacher Local President, 905-892-0270,  [email protected]