ETFO eNewsletter Bargaining Edition
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1976 one-day strike of 1M workers to protest wage & price controls
ETFO eNewsletter - Bargaining Edition
NUMBER 18 - OCTOBER 12, 2012
ETFO Members Vote in Favour of Strike Action

Record numbers of ETFO members participated in local strike votes across Ontario from September 6th to October 9th, showing overwhelming support for strike action in every part of the province.

 

ETFO strike vote results are a clear message from our 76,000 members that they oppose the McGuinty government's ongoing attack on teachers, occasional teachers, designated early childhood educators, education support personnel and professional support personnel.

Polling station at the ETT strike vote.
Polling station at the ETT strike vote

Since February, ETFO members have expressed frustration with this government's refusal to participate in collaborative negotiations. The passage of Bill 115 on September 11th, which seeks to undermine the protections afforded to all citizens by the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, elevated the government's belligerence to an unprecedented and unacceptable level. By delivering the highest strike votes in ETFO's history, our members have made it clear they reject Bill 115's assault on their democratic rights.

 

ETFO will continue to participate in the legal collective bargaining process set out in the Ontario Labour Relations Act.


To view a complete list of ETFO local strike vote results
, click here.
ETFO Takes Ontario Government to Court
 

ETFO filed a court challenge on Thursday, October 11th against the Ontario government's Bill 115 on grounds that the law, which strips the education sector of its right to bargain collectively, violates rights set out in the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.

 

Similar challenges are also being filed by the Ontario Secondary School Teachers' Federation (OSSTF), Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) Ontario, and the Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU). Lawyers for the groups hope to have the challenges heard together by the court.

 

At a press conference outside the Ontario Superior Court of Justice, ETFO President Sam Hammond pointed out that the Charter guarantees the right of Canadians to organize, engage in collective bargaining, and withdraw services to advance workplace goals.

Video: President Hammond at the Oct. 11 press conference
Video: President Hammond at the Oct. 11 press conference

"We want all Ontarians to understand that the Charter exists to protect the rights of individuals, even when governments seek to override them. That is the strength and backbone of democracy in Canada," said President Hammond.

 

"Ontarians, and indeed all Canadians, need to be assured that no government will be permitted to attempt to drastically undermine employee democratic rights without facing the strongest possible challenge," continued President Hammond. "This is a right we will fight for all the way to the Supreme Court of Canada."


To watch video clips of the press conference, click here. 

Prominent Canadians Call for Repeal of Bill 115

On October 11, 2012, one month after the enactment of Bill 115, an Open Letter to the People of Ontario was published in newspapers across the province. Sponsored by ETFO, CUPE Ontario, OPSEU and OSSTF, Open Letter is signed by 65 prominent labour and community leaders, authors and academics, and calls for the repeal of this draconian legislation.

 

To download a copy of Open Letter, click here.

To download the petition to repeal Bill 115, click here.

Charter rights are for everyone.

 

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.