ETFO eNewsletter Bargaining Edition
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ETFO eNewsletter - Bargaining Edition
NUMBER 16 - SEPTEMBER 11, 2012
Elementary teachers push the pause button on voluntary activities and begin 'McGuinty Mondays' in response to draconian legislation

 

President Sam Hammond in the media scrum directly after the passage of Bill 115 on September 11, 2012.  

 

Pause button ETFO tried for more than six months to persuade the government to negotiate fairly with teachers and other education professionals. The government refused and, with the support of PC MPPs, passed Bill 115 instead. Bill 115 is an unprecedented attack on the established collective bargaining process and employee rights. Bill 115 means that every ETFO member will lose thousands of dollars in salary during the 2012-2014 collective agreement. As well, the loss of 10 sick days per year, and the inability to accumulate unused days mean that members with chronic health conditions or struck with serious illnesses will face financial hardship. The government is threatening even more cuts in 2014.

 

Premier McGuinty tells the public that he is asking teachers to just "hit the pause button" on salary increases. Bill 115 does much more than that.  

TAKE A PAUSE
Now it's our turn to "take a pause" with the voluntary activities we undertake in schools. We will focus on teaching students and ensuring student safety. But we need to consider very carefully what we can afford to do beyond our instructional responsibilities.

What does this mean for you?
Just what it says. Members are asked to think long and hard about what voluntary activities you will do in the coming year. You should not feel that you have to volunteer your time. You already work hard every day in your classrooms providing a world-class education for the students you teach. When it comes to voluntary activities members may want to just take a pause. 

 

McGUINTY MONDAYS
To be sure that the government knows that we will not forget how we have been treated by the Liberal government we are also introducing 'McGuinty Mondays.' 

Every Monday, we are asking that all ETFO members 

  • Focus only on instructing students
  • Ensure the safety of students
  • Arrive at school no more than 30 minutes before classes begin
  • Leave school no more than 30 minutes after classes end
  • Not participate in any school-based or system-level meetings of any kind before, during, or after the instructional day
  • Not participate in regional Ministry meetings of any kind, before, during, or after the instructional day.  

HOW ELSE WILL ETFO PROTEST BILL 115 AND THE GOVERNMENT'S ATTACK ON EDUCATION?
This is the first step in an escalating protest strategy. ETFO will challenge Bill 115 in court. Other strategies to defend our members will be introduced on a regular basis.  

 

ENSURING A RESPECTFUL WORKPLACE

Collective bargaining rights are central to ensuring that working people are treated with dignity, respect, and fairness in the workplace. If the premier can get away with abolishing our rights, we need to ask,"who's next?"

 

We are at the beginning of a long fight - a fight that will include legal challenges, strike votes, and other actions to defend our democratic rights.  

 

THREE STEPS YOU CAN TAKE TO PROTEST BILL 115  

 

Step One: Take a Pause
Push the pause button on voluntary activities.

Step Two: Get Political
E-mail, phone, and visit local MPPs to express your outrage at the government's actions.
Plan now for the next election.

Step Three: Exercise Your Rights
Vote to approve strike action at local meetings.
Participate fully in McGuinty Mondays.  

Copyright 2012 - The Elementary Teachers' Federation of Ontario
ETFO holds the copyright to all information in this publication, except where specifically noted.
All rights reserved.