ETFO Upper Grand Teachers and Occasional Teachers in work to rule as of December 1, 2012

TORONTO, Dec. 3, 2012 /CNW/ - ETFO Upper Grand Teacher Local and ETFO Upper Grand Occasional Teacher Local have received no board reports through the conciliator appointed by the Ministry of Labour to resolve their bargaining impasse with Upper Grand District School Board.  As a result, the two locals began work-to-rule on December 1, 2012.

Local bargaining stalled following the passage in September of Bill 115, which has imposed drastic cuts to ETFO members' collective agreements and attacks their democratic rights.

"Bill 115 has created severe impediments for local negotiations," said ETFO President Sam Hammond. "It has brought the bargaining progress to a virtual standstill and created an increasingly unsettled climate in the education sector. This strike action is a direct result of the government's actions."

"There has been virtually no room for negotiations between our local and the board because of Bill 115", said Doug Cook, President of the ETFO Upper Grand Teacher Local. "It has set out parameters that leave no room for finding common solutions and a positive way forward. The whole approach the government has taken is an affront to democratic principles."

"My members have no option but to undertake job action to achieve a fair collective agreement," added Andrew Aloe, President of the Upper Grand Occasional Teacher Local.

During a vote on October 3, 2012, both locals received overwhelming mandates for strike action from their members. The Ontario Labour Relations Act requires that a strike mandate and a no board report must be received, and 16 days must pass following the receipt of the no board report, before legal strike action can occur.

Fast Facts: 

The Elementary Teachers' Federation of Ontario (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.
 
Upper Grand Local represents over 1285 elementary teachers employed by Upper Grand District School
Board.   ETFO Upper Grand Occasional Teacher Local represents 406 Occasional Teachers employed
by the Board.
 
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

Valerie Dugale, ETFO Media Relations - Cell: 416-948-0195