Follow up News Links still updated regularly!
Feel like a good protest this weekend? Fight the Harper public service cuts + McGuinty's contempt for Collective Bargaining Rights! Toronto rally begins at 1pm Saturday September 15 at the Toronto Court House, 361 University Ave/ just north of Queen St. W. Sounds like it will send a strong message + be very entertaining too! I understand there will be a mock trial! The rally is being organized as a part of a cross country protest by PSAC/ AFPC. Hope to see you there!
I plan to take photos for my blog so if you see me, please wave!
Toronto Star article claims an all out war exists between McGuinty Liberals + Ontario's teachers.
See: http://www.thestar.com/news/insight/article/1257213--ontario-liberals-go-to-all-out-war-with-teachers
Angry protests dog McGuinty + Broten across Ontario. See: http://toronto.ctvnews.ca/education-minister-heckled-in-barrie-1.957020
OSSTF Teachers + Educational workers also had a protest outside the Education Minister's constituency office at 701 Evans Avenue Etobicoke after school at 3:30 today. See: http://www.marketwire.com/press-release/media-advisory-rally-minister-educations-constituency-office-on-friday-september-14-1701164.htm
See a slideshow from the Broten encounter in Barry: http://www.thebarrieexaminer.com/2012/09/14/school-board-holding-celebration-for-barries-newest-public-school
CUPE President Fred Hahn outside Laurel Broten's office. See: https://twitter.com/osstf/status/246707087009263617/photo/1
See the large crowd of protesters outside Laurel Broten's office. Note the OECTA flag. I saw you on Citypulse Live James. Ha. See: https://twitter.com/Leslie_Wolfe/status/246730762831929345/photo/1
A Facebook page of photos showing OSSTF outside Broten's office: www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.527360950610665.29303825.150297224983708&type=3&l=a9dbfa3164
Teachers protest outside Dalton McGuinty's office today. See: https://twitter.com/and0bot/status/246726778532528128/photo/1
Ottawa Sun video + article on the McGuinty Protest: http://www.ottawasun.com/2012/09/14/teachers-blast-mcguinty-at-ottawa-pro
For a Facebook page showing lots of cool photos from the McGuinty protest in Ottawa, see: http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.480093948682065.114987.163261390365324&type=3#ETFO
CTV report throngs of teachers, students + support workers closed down street in front of McGuinty's office. See the video: http://ottawa.ctvnews.ca/teachers-students-protest-at-premier-s-ottawa-office-1.956670
Brantford CUPE support workers participated in Wednesday pause: http://www.brantfordexpositor.ca/2012/09/13/support-workers-caught-in-fight
Mississauga South MPP Charles Sousa's office targeted in Port Credit. Brampton-Springfield MPP Linda Jeffrey, + a Peel District School Board meeting too. See: http://www.mississauga.com/news/article/1502904--teachers-protest-outside-mpp-s-office
And in Sarnia with OSSTF D10: https://twitter.com/OSSTFDistrict10/status/246760324135538688/photo/1
ETFO protests outside Brad DuGuid's office: https://twitter.com/UnionTL/status/246803970251694080/photo/1
Windsor Star reports on protest outside Finance Minister Dwight Duncan's office. Lots of photos too:
http://blogs.windsorstar.com/2012/09/14/teachers-protest-bill-115-outside-duncans-office/
Street closed with protesters outside MPP Jim Bradley's Niagara Falls office: http://www.niagarafallsreview.ca/2012/09/14/teachers-protest-wage-freeze-law-at-mpps-office
Read about the combined Hamilton teacher + workers union protest outside MPP Tim McEekins Waterdown office: http://www.cbc.ca/hamilton/news/story/2012/09/14/hamilton-teacher-protest.html
ETFO Algama protests outside former teacher MPP David Orazietti's constituency office. See: http://www.sootoday.com/content/news/details.asp?c=47161
Another way to protest: OSSTF flag flies outside a teacher's home. See: https://twitter.com/IdRatherbeRidin/status/247346203719770113/photo/1
Check out the Student Movement 2012 on Twitter! This is real good: https://twitter.com/i/#!/search/?q=%23STUDENTMOVEMENT2012&src=hash
A Facebook page of photos from the August 28th Queen's Park rally is located here: http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.472874136070713.113110.163261390365324&type=3
Gee! As an OECTA member I SURE wish I could find or take some photos of us participating in the fight against Bill 115. Surely, it is not what we agreed to either! Saying it is unacceptable is not enough!!! Furthermore, see the OECTA Provincial letter sent to our members this week: http://www.oecta.on.ca/wps/portal/!ut/p/c1/04_SB8K8xLLM9MSSzPy8xBz9CP0os3jDIBNLI2cfIwP30GBjAyNLdyNzc4sgQ3cvI_1wkA6zePdQJ9dQI0N_A3_jQDMDI49QC_dQHw9jAwM
Kindly notify me in advance and send a link +/or pdf flyer for your protest event if you'd like it posted on my blog! Perhaps I'll make this protest guide a weekly feature.
Crisis What crisis? Provincial deficit magically shrinks $3.3 billion! What will the Liberals pull out of their hat next? See: http://www.torontosun.com/2012/09/13/ontarios-deficit-shrinks-to-13b
Hudak gets haughty with McGuinty over more public wage freezes. No surprise. Tim just doesn't get it. Pay attention folks! Chances are if there were an election right now it would be the Conservatives, not the NDP forming our next government. Yikes! Hold your nose and read: http://www.ontariopc.com/news/hudak-to-mcguinty-stake-your-ground-on-wage-freeze-now/
Kawartha students walk out in support of their teachers. Teachers under gag order. Principal claims 6 students, but reporter sees at least 200. Read: http://www.mykawartha
Backlash reported at some Toronto schools as extracurriculars and curriculum nights cancelled. Students and parents protest: http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/education/article/1256482--teacher-boycotts-hit-curriculum-nights-as-well-as-sports-clubs
Mixed feelings in London as parents discover curriculum night is cancelled. They seem to understand the situation. See: http://www.lfpress.com/2012/09/13/parents-turn-up-at-school-find-no-teachers-to-meet
Find the CUPE protest guide and materials at: http://www.cupe.on.ca/supporteducationEN
Easy to use OSSTF on line kit can be used to let your MPP know how you feel about Bill 115. This is for their members but I would think the messaging could be adjusted accordingly for protesters from other affiliates: http://www.osstf.on.ca/bill-115-express-your-outrage
Poll: Who do you blame for the cancellation of extracurriculars? OECTA members: This does not directly effect you but you can participate to help our OSSTF + ETFO colleagues too. Vote at: http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/education/article/1256482--teacher-boycotts-hit-curriculum-nights-as-well-as-sports-clubs
See the The Student Movement 2012 youtube video: Wow!!!! At: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pSapQYeZhe8&feature=youtu.be
For more on OECTA's response to Bill 115 being voted into law see my Sept 13 blog below about the letter sent to our members this week! Vichy?
My Sept. 15 Blog: A Vichy Mentality: One can either vigorously oppose or isolate ourselves when one feels powerless to change a policy being forced upon us. On the other hand, to think Vichy, one can instead cooperate and modify our own policies to seek appeasement. The original reference is to the Vichy Government during WW2, which tried to appease and cooperate with the German invaders as they occupied France. In our sense this does not include the same racial overtones. Draw your own conclusions about how, or even if, there is a parallel to the OECTA "Road map" and Bill 115. Ouch! This hurts but needs to be said.
Read my blog.
Huffington Post Canada declares teachers must be the saviours of democracy. Sound a little over the top? This is a real blockbuster! A must read: http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/danielle-s-mclaughlin/bill-115-pass_b_1877621.html?utm_hp_ref=fb&src=sp&comm_ref=false
Toronto Star columnist Rick Salutin argues only teachers can save our schools. See: http://www.thestar.com/opinion/editorialopinion/article/1256492--only-teachers-can-save-our-schools#.UFKKiy7vZTs.twitter
ETFO President Sam Hammond remarks on Democracy Week in Canada: http://www.etfo.ca/MediaRoom/MediaReleases/Pages/Sad%20Day%20for%20Ontario%20as%20Canada%20Marks%20Democracy%20Week.aspx
So our gratuity payments are being grandfathered eh? Take a gander at what the MPP's get. Also under Mike Harris they got a pay out when the system was changed, but we don't from the Libs: http://www.chathamthisweek.com/2011/10/27/retired-and-defeated-mpps-receive-compensation
Counterpoint: Having been attacked by all three main Ontario political parties when they are in power,
whom do we realistically turn to now? Hold your nose if need be but read the National Post commentary at: http://fullcomment.nationalpost.com/2012/09/13/kelly-mcparland-ontario-teachers-run-out-of-political-parties-to-hate/
OECTA TSU members! Our Oct 1-3 MOU meetings might not have anyone from provincial executive present to answer your questions. Rene will be there. I will enquire further at our executive meeting this Tuesday. No, that doesn't seem right to me either!
And in the States:
Big news from south of the border! Wisconsin judge strikes down law that prohibits Collective Bargaining. Finds it "unconstitutional"! Appeal expected, but a big salute to our brother + sister teachers in Wisconsin! You rock! See: http://www.therepublic.com/view/story/922a5cf7f9b5498c9f91992638d61514/US--Wisconsin-Union#share
We think we got it bad? Check out what US teachers are up against! The folks who propose this type of teacher evaluations ar Tim Hudak's hereos! See: http://dianeravitch.net/2012/09/13/why-the-teacher-bashing/
Ditto. Read + weep at the stupidity: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/09/13/mitt-romney-teachers-unions_n_1881572.html?utm_hp_ref=education&ir=Education
And get this!!! From Chicago: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/answer-sheet/post/how-things-look-to-a-returning-chicago-teacher/2012/09/13/22c8cfd6-fd42-11e1-8adc-499661
Wow! American readers! We feel your pain! Keep up the good fight!!!
CUPE in solidarity at the Toronto Court House Protest in Toronto on Saturday.