The Ontario English Catholic Teachers’ Association announced Tuesday morning that it had inked an agreement with the provincial government and school boards, and that plans for a work-to-rule campaign were immediately suspended pending a ratification vote.
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“We appreciate the government’s efforts and those of the Catholic school trustees in reaching this tentative agreement”, said Ontario English Catholic Teachers’ Association (OECTA) President Ann Hawkins in a media release.
No details will be released until the deal is ratified.
Last Thursday, the head of the Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario’s (ETFO) unveiled the second phase of its work-to-rule campaign, which will roll out the first day of school. Prior to reaching the tentative settlement, only one school, Bishop Belleau in Moosonee, had commenced work to rule sanctions, which will now be suspended. “What we did say was that there wasn’t new money for the education sector for…increases in compensation”.
“We remain committed to bargaining throughout the remaining weeks of the summer in order to reach agreements at all tables”, said Sandals.
Looks like the province has avoided a teachers strike in Ontario’s Catholic schools next month.
The union had planned to withdraw from extracurriculars if a deal wasn’t reached before school started.
The union representing Francophone teachers in Ontario is also in contract negotiations with school boards.
Neither the OECTA nor the province would provide details of the deal, as it remains subject to ratification, but Sandals said it meets the government’s “net-zero” bargaining framework, which ensures any salary increases are offset through the collective agreement.
The contracts for all Ontario teachers expired last August, and classes are set to start on September 6.
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CUPE says there have been too few bargaining days for the educational assistants, administrators, custodians, trades people, library technicians, early childhood educators, IT specialists and speech pathologists that it represents.
