A message for ETFO members
March 28, 2014

Education Sector Funding for the 2014-2015 School Year

 

The Ministry of Education hosted a teleconference yesterday to provide an overview of education funding for the 2014-2015 school year through the Grants for Student Needs (GSN).  ETFO participated in this teleconference.

 

The government advised that the total GSN funding is projected to increase by 3.1 percent for the 2014-2015 school year to a total of 22.5 billion dollars. The increase is the result of a transfer of funding from other sources into the GSN. The report touched on many aspects including full day kindergarten (FDK), school board efficiencies, accommodation review guidelines and capital investments to support efficient use of school space. The Minister confirmed that funding for the FDK program has now been transferred into the GSN.

 

ETFO would like to highlight two additional aspects of the GSN:

  • The first is that, as negotiated in the ETFO MOU, the differential in salary between ETFO teachers and other affiliates has been removed. That means the salary penalty imposed on ETFO members during the 2008 round of bargaining is eliminated, and ETFO teacher salary grids will be adjusted effective September 1, 2014;   
  • The second issue is that the Ministry has taken the position that the freeze provision related to movement on the grid on the 97th day will remain in effect until a new collective agreement is negotiated.  ETFO is working with legal counsel and collective bargaining staff to determine how the Ministry's interpretation might affect ETFO members. But ETFO's position on this matter is, and has always been, clear and consistent - the 97-day delay in salary grid advancement is one of the terms and conditions imposed on ETFO members through Bill 115.  ETFO does not accept that those imposed terms and conditions comprise a legitimate and fairly bargained collective agreement.  Any future negotiations between ETFO and the government regarding compensation will proceed on that basis.

Members can find more information about 2014-2015 education sector funding on the Ministry's website at:

 

 http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/policyfunding/funding.html.