With contract negotiations stalled at the bargaining table, yesterday's offer of mediation by Ontario's education minister didn't impress at least one local teachers union president.
“It’s interesting that he (Education Minister Stephen Lecce) has to hold a press conference rather than pick up the phone and have a conversation with the various presidents of the teachers unions,” said David Clegg, president of the Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario - York Region, which represents about 5,600 elementary teachers and educational support staff.
“Clearly, he would rather negotiate with media than to actually negotiate at the table and, my understanding is, he’s never made any appearance personally at the negotiation table with the ETFO.”
Lecce's call for an independent third-party mediator to assist the unions, trustee associations, and the Ontario government in reaching settlements comes as the ETFO prepares to take job action in local primary schools beginning next Tuesday, and Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation members on Monday delivered an overwhelming strike mandate of more than 90 per cent.
Meanwhile, Ontario English Catholic Teachers’ Association president Liz Stuart said in a news release that the board has asked the Labour Ministry to appoint a conciliator in its negotiations with the key parties.
“Catholic school board trustees have come to the table prepared to work constructively, but the government side is in complete chaos,” Stuart said. “...during the most recent bargaining session on Friday, Nov. 15, the government abruptly informed us they are withdrawing some proposals and dismissing their bargaining representatives. At this point, we do not even know who represents the government at the negotiating table, let alone which positions or proposals they are authorized to bring forward or discuss.”
Locally, Clegg said his members have not had an opportunity to sit down with its direct employer, York Region District School Board, for five years.
That’s because in 2017, a two-year extension to the EFTO’s collective agreement done at the provincial level precluded discussions of local issues.
“That’s without precedent,” he said. “We’ve never gone for such a long time without an opportunity to find solutions to the problems that build up over time. So, that’s a sticking point with my members because, again, it put off an opportunity to resolve problems with their employer.”
York Region’s elementary teachers were one of six locals that voted down that extension agreement at the time, Clegg said, and three weeks ago members delivered a 99 per cent strike mandate.
The issues that have to be resolved relate to everyday working conditions, Clegg said, without going into specifics. But it is about having an opportunity to update and modernize the relationship in a host of areas that have to be done at a time when resources to effect solutions are limited, he added.
“It will be a difficult negotiation, but the strike mandate locally speaks directly to their level of commitment to see that these issues are finally dealt with, with the York Region District School Board,” said Clegg.
