Teacher Weekend Protest Guide! [Sept 13-15]

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.

MOE's PDT Deadline + OSSTF + ETFO's Response!

[New links added August 2nd. See below.]

Surely this blog's title must provide an all time record of sorts for acronyms! So far most of my recent PDT coverage has focused on our OECTA PDT deal, most recently with the Catholic Principals and Trustees
response. Today's will provide links and some discussion about the continuing hard line struggle of our colleagues at OSSTF and ETFO.

As you should know the Ontario MOE [Ministry of Education] has gone public with it's demands that the teacher unions reach PDT [Provincial Discussion Table] agreements before school resumes in September. Now it seems that the school boards must also reach contracts with the unions based upon the PDT terms by then, and not by December 31, as has been previously outlined in the Ministry perimeters.

The MOE's expressed concern now is that current contracts will simply "roll over" and continue at an unacceptable cost if new contracts are not reached by August 31, when they expire. They also are responding to upcoming ETFO and ETFO strike votes, claiming they will disrupt classes come September. The main focus of the MOE's accusations seems to be that the unions are not bargaining in good faith. OSSTF and ETFO are adamantly disputing the Ministry claims, and have since issued strong statements explaining why, the links for which are provided below;


Here's a link to the MOE's July 30 press announcement that there will be no "rollover" of existing contracts after August 31 when our current contracts ones expire. If PDT agreements are not reached by then, they will be legislated, seemingly as per the MOE's initial terms: http://news.ontario.ca/edu/en/2012/07/ontario-reaches-another-education-deal.html

Here''s an audio link to Education Minister Laurel Broten's CBC Q+A:
http://www.cbc.ca/ontariotoday/


Here's a good summary link for OSSTF [Ontario Secondary School Teachers' Federation] President Ken Coran's response to the announcement: http://www.osstf.on.ca/Default.aspx?DN=eeaf6754-ca4a-4a51-939b-5fce46ac9d8c

Also see: http://www.marketwire.com/press-release/-1685734.htm

Here's another for ETFO [Elementary Teachers Federation of Ontario] Sam Hammond's response; http://www.controlyourfuture.ca/

Here's Premier McGuinty's latest August 2nd claim he will recall the legislature this month before school starts if necessary: http://www.cp24.com/news/mcguinty-won-t-rule-out-recalling-legislature-this-month-to-impose-new-teachers-contracts-1.901469

Some further considerations:

Compare the TDSB [Toronto District School Board] trustee response with their Catholic counterparts as discussed in my last PDT blog. Alas, in our case, I still don't feel the love, there is just so much else at play. Here is the TDSB trustees response. To me it seems more positive towards the teacher unions in general: http://www.citytv.com/toronto/citynews/video/217453

By the way, here is OSSTF President Coran's response to the article on the Catholic trustees in the Toronto Star: http://www.osstf.on.ca/Default.aspx?DN=eeaf6754-ca4a-4a51-939b-5fce46ac9d8c

Meanwhile back in Tim's sTory Land:

Here are "the facts" from Conservative Leader Tim Hudak's website showing how the Liberals are are actually giving a $7000 pay raise with the OECTA PDT Agreement, something he would never do, by golly, because it's going to drive the province to financial ruin. Read and weep at his stupidity. Then consider what he would do if the government falls and he is elected to reign in the unions, as promised. Sarcastic I know, but we HAVE been there before. See:
http://www.ontariopc.com/media/2012/08/OECTA-Technical-Backgrounder.pdf

UAW [United Auto Workers] square off with Hudak's Tory plans to "modernize Ontario's outdated labour laws" by "Modifying Rand" as a part of his "Path to Prosperity: Flexible Labour Markets" policy paper. OFL [Ontario Federation of Labour] President Sid Ryan responds: http://blogs.windsorstar.com/2012/07/27/43146/ 

And in other news:

Here's a popular opinion piece from the Kitchener Record that's making the cyber-rounds: http://www.therecord.com/mobile/opinion/article/771794--liberals-failure-puts-pressure-on-school-boards#.UBk9ZScbVp

Here's an unverified Twitter link for educators opposed to the MOE's PDT demands: 
Teachers Unite!@Teachers_Gather.

A salute to you our brothers and sisters at OSSTF and ETFO ! I haven't any special expertise on your affairs, and make no such claims. However I do know that many of our OECTA teachers are NOT happy with what's happened at our end. They want more info on what's still happening on the front lines. If this blog helps our other affiliate readers in any way also, while we are all off doing summer things, I am honoured.

Special thanks to the Twitter Tweets and TSU Rep Angela Tersigni's excellent local JCM [James Cardinal McGuigan CSS] member updates for many of these links while I have been away. Yes, I am back from Mexico after a full day mostly spent in airports before and after the relatively short flight. Yesterdays storm certainly seemed to create havoc at Toronto's Pearson Airport!

By the way Angie, how about a summer guest blog?!? :-)

I will return over the next few days to edit and add to this blog, but wanted to get these links to you asap.

Be sure you are "in the know" for when we go back to school in September!!! Stay tuned!

OSSTF Rejects New PDT Talks!

[Saturday Postscript: Today's "In The News" links have been added at the bottom of this blog.]


OSSTF has withdrawn from the PDT table. The first meeting back was yesterday July 12th. OSSTF afterwards released a Collective Bargaining bulletin, citing differences with the Ministry table officers over alleged labour relation and labour act irregularities in the OECTA MOU. Here is the text of the bulletin:

Below, please find our latest bulletin on bargaining. We endeavour to provide the most up-to-date information, but due to the confidential nature of bargaining we are limited as to what we can share openly. Please find PDFs of Bargaining Issues Backgrounders below, and previous bulletins in the Related Attachments section at the bottom of the page.

July 12, Issue 16

Good afternoon

Dale Leckie, Brad Bennett, Vaino Poysa (in-house legal counsel) and Ken Coran attended an informal meeting with three representatives from the Ontario Government: Pat Sorbara, Chief of Staff to the Minister of Education; Gabe Sekaly, Education Finance and Paul Boniferro, legal counsel at McCarthy Tetrault.

The intent of the meeting was to better understand components of the OECTA Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) and clarify its implementation and possible impact on OSSTF/FEESO members. The meeting lasted approximately two hours and little, if any, clarity was provided. We criticized the bargaining process initially and the OECTA MOU is proof that it is flawed both in terms of process and structure, as well as content and implementation.

It is apparent that the MOU is also inconsistent with any existing Labour Relations Act and Education Act provisions. We did ascertain that the government is committed to meeting its financial targets by September 1, 2012 and that the parameters contained in the Ontario Budget are the driving force and must be included in any government approved settlement in the education sector.

Many questions remain unanswered; however, we are providing these points of clarification regarding the OECTA deal pertaining to the two issues members most frequently ask about: the retirement gratuity and the grid freeze.

A reminder that this deal was struck by the OECTA Provincial Executive and applies to OECTA members only.

Retirement Gratuity

The retirement gratuity is frozen at its current level. The numbers used in the calculation are the numbers in existence as of August 31, 2012. No components of the formula can be increased. The government also indicated to us that other retirement incentives such as RRSP Plans will be eliminated as of September 1, 2012.

Partial Grid Movement

The partial grid movement that takes place on Day 97 and onwards, in both Year 1 and Year 2 of the MOU can be better understood through the following example:

A teacher completing a second full year of teaching who is expecting to move up one grid step in September, will not do so until the 97th day of the school year. There will be no retroactive payment of that grid movement for the first half year of service. The teacher will be paid at this new level for the next full calendar year. Therefore, the teacher will not be compensated for that second year’s regular grid step until the 97th day of that second school year instead of the first day of the second school year. Hence, they will have forfeited 50% of Year 1’s grid movement and 50% of Year 2’s grid movement.

To fund the partial grid movement, the OECTA deal includes the following concessions:

• The Secondary Staffing Enhancement for additional teachers, scheduled to commence September 2012, will not be funded.
• Previously negotiated elementary professional development funding has been suspended.
• Three unpaid professional development days in the 2013-2014 school year where staff are not expected to attend. This amounts to a 1.5% reduction in salary.

It again is apparent that there will be no local ratification for the MOU and its inclusion in local collective agreements. The Government continued to reiterate its September 1, 2012 deadline and its expectation that there be consistency across the education sector regarding agreements.

It was made clear to us that in this MOU, OECTA has given up individual members’ rights to:

• conciliation
• sanction/strike
• ratification
• unencumbered local bargaining

Giving up these rights is unacceptable to OSSTF/FEESO and our members. We will be proceeding with the provisions outlined in the Labour Relations Act and will move forward with local bargaining.

Kenneth Coran, President

Education Minister Laurel Broten has since refuted the claims that any labour acts are being broken with the ratification process. She noted that  ratification is, "...subject to the governance structure of each federation." 


Education Minister Broten expressed disappointment in the breakdown of the OSSTF PDT talks. I hope to include that letter here later. If perchance you have an open file or link kindly forward it to me for publication purposes.

In the meantime here is OECTA President Kevin Dwyer's letter to our members explaining our ratification and collective bargaining process now that the MOU has been approved by our Provincial Executive and COP:

Dear OECTA Member:


To clarify the next steps in the local level bargaining process:  


On Thursday, July 5, 2012, the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was signed between OECTA  and the government, and was ratified by the Provincial Executive that same morning. The Provincial Executive was required to ratify the MOU prior to release of any information to Unit Presidents.  

The MOU will be incorporated into local collective agreement proposals. The parameters of the MOU 

cannot be changed and will not be subject to local ratification.  Following ratification by the Provincial Executive, on Tuesday, July 10, 2012 a meeting was held seeking endorsement of the MOU by the Council of Presidents.


As per the Ontario Labour Relations Act (OLRA), each and every member will have the opportunity to 

vote on local issues in their local collective agreement. Following the expiration of all collective agreements on August 31, 2012, local bargaining with school boards may commence, but must be concluded by December 31, 2012. If a tentative agreement is 
reached between an OECTA unit and the school board, a membership ratification vote takes place. If the majority of members vote for ratification of the locally agreed changes, the agreement is implemented.  

 
Collective bargaining ends December 31, 2012. If there is no agreement, status quo prevails, which means the terms of the 2008-2012 agreement are extended for the next two years, except for the terms of the MOU. Between August 31 and December 31, 2012 (during bargaining), there will be no job action or strikes by teachers, and no lockouts by school boards. This is one of the parameters agreed to in the MOU. Boards cannot apply for conciliation, which means boards cannot unilaterally change the terms of the current collective agreements.  

In solidarity,
 
Kevin O’Dwyer/
OECTA President

In essence if you will recall from my July 10th Blog, "OECTA PDT: What Next?" our members ratify or reject the terms of the MOU by voting on their local contracts. See the blog for further explanation.


In The News


The Globe + Mail reports on OSSTF action: http://m.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/high-school-teachers-abandon-talks-with-mcguinty-government/article2411140/?service=mobil

Here's the ETFO report:  http://m.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/ontario-teachers-feel-betrayed-by-education-premier-union-says/article4101990/?service=mobile

Here's a report on what the Education Minister had to say: http://m.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/ontario-education-minister-warns-teachers-school-boards-about-local-bargaining/article4099698/?service=mobile

Another one: http://m.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/ontarios-elementary-teachers-strongly-urged-to-return-to-bargaining/article4099523/?service

This article examines some of the pros and cons of our MOU and examines it within in the context of province wide bargaining: 
http://www.lfpress.com/comment/2012/07/13/19985216.html

Saturday Commentary: The wider debate here would certainly seem to be focusing on local verses provincial wide bargaining, and the Ministry's hardline stand on Aug.31st when our cotracts expire.

A Late May PDT Update!

As of last week OECTA was the last remaining teachers' association at the PDT (provincial discussion table). All the other teacher associations have walked out, making it seem quite likely that we will have a long hot summer settling teacher contracts by August 31. What are the current odds of possible teacher job action including work to rule or a strike during the 2012-13 school year? Consider it about 50 percent, if there isn't a break through soon. Of course the membership would have to vote on any job actions first, but with the government standing fast on its position, one wonders how many members are going to favour:

A 2 year pay and grid freeze?

A reduction of sick days from 20 to 6?

A loss of accumulated sick days and a retirement gratuity?

A provincial government plan to cut its contributions to our pension plan?

OECTA can be expected to walk away from the table after it has exhausted all reasonable chance of pursuing the negotiations successfully. One has to think that could be very soon.

There has been some speculation on a possible split within the Liberal cabinet on the PDT talks. With Premier McGuinty apparently lining himself up for a run at the federal Liberal party leadership race as the longest reigning Liberal leader in Canada, the Ontario Liberal Party could be also faced with a leadership race too. One scenario has former Education Minister and current Municipal Minister Kathleen Wynne not on the same page as current Education Minister Laurel Broten and Finance Minister Dwight Duncan with the PDT talks.

Provincial NDP leader Andrea Horwarth remains silent on the teacher PDT issue and word is that the recent party policy conference was hardly a labour love in. Andrea is now trying to move her party more to the political centre, with increased seats and a potentially unstable minority government situation.

Provincial Conservative leader Tim Hudak remains far out in the cold Ontario political wilderness with an even harder party line on public service cuts. With possible teacher job actions this fall one has to wonder if his position will not gain favour in the year ahead, although at present the Liberals seem to have out Tory'd the Tory's with their PDT position. It is certainly a big change for a party that has enjoyed huge teacher support in the last three provincial elections and has promoted itself as the education party.

As the saying goes "It isn't over until it's over" but right now the possibility of a settlement at the PDT and with our school board contract talks before August 31st looks quite bleak indeed!

PDT, GSA, Inclusivity + Fee Excitement Ahead!

This weekend is the annual OECTA [Ontatio Catholic Teachers Association] AGM [Annual General Meeting]. Hundreds of teacher delegates will gather from across the province to hear reports, presentations and vote on our teacher association business. This year we are meeting in Windsor Ontario. It promises to be an especially interesting and even exciting 3 day event.

On Sunday afternoon, our Ontario Provincial Education Minister Laurel Broten will speak to the gathering, our first Q+A opportunity as members since the official PDT [Provincial Dialogue Table] announcements of a 2 year salary freeze, sick day reduction and provincial pension plan contribution cap last week. [See my March 1st blog]. OECTA has, of course, refused the province's opening contract offer. Unless there is a breakthrough during the two days of PDT talks this week, one can expect the frosty reception Laurel received at our BTC [Beginning Teachers Conference] will quite likely change to down right cold. [See my February blog]. It's a pity. She has been a big teacher supporter and advocate, who has enjoyed strong OECTA support since the 2003 election.

It will be interesting to see how Minister Broten handles the questions. The Liberal government's recent change in direction, from 9 years of working cooperatively with our teacher associations, is a contract shocker none us had foreseen. Now here we stand poised for perhaps a return to the deepest depth of labour strife and unrest since the Harris era. There hadn't been a single day lost to teacher strikes or work to rule since then, but now? Laurel, please prove to us it isn't so!

Windsor is in Finance Minister Dwight Duncan's riding. Perhaps he should come to speak too, so we can figure out who is really pulling the strings here! A provincial Liberal Leadership race is possibly not too far off. Could both Laurel, and our previous teacher friendly Education Minister Kathleen be having their teacher support rug pulled out from under them by Dwight "the cost cutter" Duncan as the party takes a sharp policy reversal that out Tories Tory leader Tim Hudak's Conservatives? Please see my February Blog Archive and roll this one around in your mind for a bit.....The implications are a very scary thought indeed!

Please note Laurel will not, repeat not, be staying to host the Liberal hospitality suite, as past Education Ministers usually have in year's past. I know for a fact that this is due to a previous scheduling conflict. She's off to speak at the OSSTF AGM in Toronto next. So Sunday morning AGM will be the moment of truth, her first public opportunity to take the floor and address our teacher troops as a partnership era of Liberal Party and OECTA co-operation quite possibly comes to an end. The NDP [New Democratic Party] must be rubbing their hands in glee! Who would've ever thought it would come to this?

The Harris Conservative era was an 8 year period of labour war with our teachers. The NDP government before them saw a previously pro-labour party impose a wage freeze and unpaid Rae Day "holidays" on our public sector unions. We have not had trouble with the Liberals alone. It was a proud, productive and relatively blemish free period of government, until now......

So what else on the agenda could be quite exciting? Well AGM's are hardly ever exciting, except maybe when Conservative Education Minister Liz Witmar showed up in 2003 to tell us if we didn't like the way we were being treated to go get a another job somewhere else. Whew! She did not walk out of there to a shower of praise let me tell you! I hope, hope, hope NOTHING of the sort happens to Laurel. She is indeed a fine, fine Liberal MPP and person as well who strongly supported us back then through until now. Barring that rather unlikely prospect there are still a few other policy potboilers ready to bubble over too. For example:

A Fee Increase? Our emergency reserves currently show a surplus but it would disappear quickly if we face a flood of job actions in the terse times ahead. We have a past AGM promise to roll back last year's election fee increase, but now the question could be, by how much? The fee proposals on the floor are from $950 to $975 per member a year but the issue now seems quite volatile. What happens next if we don't have contracts in place by August 31 this year?

Gay Straight Alliance Clubs [GSA's]? A TSU [Toronto Secondary Unit] policy motion for them to be recognized by OECTA pits denominational against civil rights in a quite possibly very divisive fight that would without doubt draw a lot of public attention to our Catholic school funding and Religious Affair issues. That could become a big problem in the next provincial election should anyone choose to use this as a political grandstand for eliminating public funding for our Catholic school system!

It will be very interesting to see how the issue is received by many of the OECTA units, especially those from outside Toronto. They  could well either make or break the question of GSA approval. Gay inclusivity issues have not been favourably received on the AGM floor in years past. A lot could hinge on the premise given in the motion's rationale that the GSA's enjoy the support of the Ontario Catholic Bishops. Cardinal Collins has recently stated that they don't. This could be a real nail bitter from both points of view as we see how the debate unfolds!

Another Human Rights Committee policy motion calls for OECTA to support  an inclusive learning and working environment for both students and teaching staff regardless of their sexual orientation.
The Ontario Government has insisted that bullying on sexual or any other grounds is unacceptable. That should be reasonably clear and acceptable to all Catholics who abide by the golden rule to love one another. However, if we extend that to openly accepting non heterosexual gender relationships within our Catholic schools, we are again facing a very heated denominational rights conflict for many members of our Catholic community. Many delegates could well find the motion totally unacceptable should it reach the AGM floor for debate. Expect even more fireworks here too, as the two opposite sides of the issue clash!

A complete OECTA AGM 2012 Agenda and Resolution handbook is available at the http://www.oecta.on.ca website should you require further info and details on these and the wide range of other speeches, motions and debates in the action packed weekend ahead. Please also keep checking on my blogspot for more of my own hopefully timely teacher news and views! This year's AGM could prove very interesting and perhaps even explosive in more than one starting this Saturday in Windsor!

OECTA PDT Teacher Contract Shocker!

All OECTA teachers should've received the recent update about the opening discussions at the PDT [Provincial Dialogue Table] by now. The details and analysis, labelled "strictly confidential" has been sent to our members; the many tens of thousands of us that is..... Hmmm. Suffice to publically say, we are looking at a pay and grid freeze through to 2014,  a reduction from 20 to 6 sick days, with a grandfathering of our sick day gratuity, and the loss of any further accumulated days in your sick day bank. The Liberal government also wants to cap their contribution to our pension plan. OECTA has rejected the offer. Discussions are continuing for now in hopes of finding a mutually agreeable and beneficial solution before we walk away from the table, ending our PDT talks with the provincial government. ETFO [the Elementary Teachers Federation of Ontario] have already decided not to continue with the PDT discussions when they resume next week.


What a shocker! Firstly, our OECTA teachers have been strong supporters of any and all educational friendly Liberal MPP's during the last three provincial elections. Indeed, Education Minister Laurel Broten recently claimed at her New Year's Levee that one third of her election helpers were teachers. She's been a strong educational advocate and teacher's friend for many years. Secondly, the Ministry of Education has for the last 8 years always consulted closely and in advance with our teacher's association, to constructively determine the best ways to implement their education plans. This latest announcement comes as a total change in direction and a complete surprise.

Why would the Liberal's risk widespread Labour discord with us now? Consider this; Ontario's economic crisis is not the result of over paid teachers and public servants. Far from it. During the worldwide economic crisis the provincial government spent a fortune bailing out large companies like General Motors. Now they want to help re-balance the budget on the backs of our teachers and public servants? What are they thinking?


Like you, I am in a complete shock. I have worked on Minister of Education Laurel Broten's election campaigns since 2003. Indeed I have also served as a director on her Etobicoke Lakeshore Liberal Riding Assocation. OECTA has often helped successfully lobby the government through Laurel on many important teacher educational issues, even for example all day Kindergarten. Until now the Ministry has usually kept in close touch with our Government Relations Department. As you might've noticed I have quite often praised Laurel's many virtues, both politically and personally, as recently as a month ago in my blogs. The change seems unfathomable.

What's happening? The Liberals are abandoning political centre ground with a seismic fiscal shift to the right, perhaps in an attempt to out Tory Tim Hudak's Conservatives. The Conservatives weren't on top of their game in the fall provincial election. Conservative support for Tim Hudak's party leadership wasn't all that strong or confident at their recent convention. We have seen a sharp municipal and federal voter shift to the right municipally and federally recently, in Toronto and across the country, but not here in Ontario. Perhaps McGuinty is now taking a gamble on staking out that popular support for himself?


Consider; Andrea Horwath's NDP enjoyed a big rise in the fall provincial election polls. Quite possibly it was in large part the result of a Jack Layton "bump" from the widespread popular sentiment following the NDP federal leader's death, just as the  election began in earnest. The provincial NDP managed to win more ridings from the Liberals, which along with Hudak's unexpectedly weak election performance, now leaves the Liberals in a one seat minority government position.

 I speculated on Andrea's future leadership potential in my September and October election blogs. She could eventually become a strong political challenger. She certainly seems to have the personal ability to do so. Still, she's the newbie on the Ontario provincial scene, and her newly invigorated party without Jack to bolster their fortunes, are now up against a make or break Liberal minority government situation until the next election, whenever that might be, within the next 4 years or less.

By shifting to right of centre, Dalton McGuinty's Liberals might be gambling they can swing a significant number of the soft popular right leaning votes to their side. If Tim and Andrea can't find their political feet, and very quickly, where's the competition next time to prevent them from winning back their majority?


Are there problems with this scenario? Sure. True blue Conservatives typically vote Conservative or not at all. All ready  the seemingly invincible popular support for Ford and Harper is wavering as their self defeating crisis' start to pile up one atop another. Is a gamble on courting this soft political right of center really as sound as it might now seem?

Soft NDP support will often shift back and forth to the Liberals. Perhaps it's to join the Liberal bandwagon when they are on a winning streak, or if these voters fear a possible Conservative election victory. However in moving away from left of centre, the Liberals could be leaving a void wide open for the NDP to create a credible alternative to themselves, if they suceed in getting their political act together under Andrea Horwath's leadership.

Also, by picking a fight now the Liberals are losing our teacher support which has often helped push them over the top to victory in the last 3 provincial elections. Is it really a good idea to cut us loose  to be courted by the NDP? If it's an election choice between the Liberals and the Conservatives, they might be betting we will have no place else to go anyway but back to the Liberal fold. What if Andrea does make good on the leadership promise she exhibited last fall? It's possibly a tempting Liberal trade off, but a risky gambit as well.

Our teacher support for the Liberals has been rock solid until now. Are we a wise trade off for a grab at the more fickle popular vote even if it is leaning to the political right these days? How did Mike Harris ultimately fare in picking a fight with us?

Sick days, salary and pensions are under attack everywhere these days. Teachers won't get a lot of public sympathy going on strike or work to rule for these, in the current economic climate. Still, our motto has been "We speak for children".We have spoken well with our popular information campaign. Everyday voters can relate to and support us on that. We contributed strongly to the Liberal election win last fall emphasizing this theme. The campaign will continue from what I understand. It could possibly help us maintain our credibility and popular support, unlike Ontario's self titled "Education Premier" if he still supposedly wants to build a world class education system, while declaring labour war on his teacher support.


We can only hope the Liberal party will engage in more fruitful, creative and constructive talks with our teacher association during the next round of PDT. However lots of face saving would be needed for the Liberals to waver now. After last week it's a very grim looking situation indeed!

Ontario Liberal Premier Dalton McGuinty and Minister of Education Laurel Broten: An OECTA PDT teacher contract shocker! Much possible labour strife ahead after 8 years of stability!

BTC: Education Minister Gets Frosty Reception!

Ontario Minister of Education Laurel Broten received a seemingly frosty reception during her key address and Q+A Friday at our 2012 Beginning Teacher Conference [BTC]. Pressing questions and uncertainty over the Drummond report, the PDT [Provincial Discussion Table], and mixed government messaging over the past few weeks were first and foremost on the members minds with our latest contract talks about to begin.


The Beginning teachers quizzed the minister on their job, program and salary concerns. The Minister, while short on details, was quick to state the Liberals continued support for the many excellent gains we have collectively made in rebuilding the Education system in Ontario since the Harris years. She repeated the government's support for all day Kindergarten and caps on class size, noting these were the most timely issues at present, but was otherwise unspecific. A lot of our members seemed ill at ease.


Our teacher's association has a proud and productive history of working with the Liberal government in finding creative and constructive problem solving solutions to our provincial education issues. Without doubt  our teachers expect to continue the partnership during these difficult economic times. However our concerns were well reflected in the Beginning teachers probing questions. Unlike our usual warm, candid teacher meetings with the Ministry, Friday was less of an apparent Liberal love-in than in years past. There were many pointed questions. They were presented without rancour. Still the teachers weren't certain about the present status quo, and sought clear reassurances about our ongoing good working relationship with the Liberal government. Surely our BT's meeting with Education Minster Broten well reflected our concern about how to proceed together in light of the many proposed education cuts in the Drummond Report.


I have worked with Laurel Broten for many years since her 2003 election, like many of our senior teachers, and hold her and the premier in high regard for the many advancements we have made in building our world class education system. Regretfully, on Friday the messaging though seemingly positive, was vague about how the government plans to continue with this great working relationship, a situation we look forward to reconfirming in the upcoming budget and contract talks ahead. Our BT's did especially well in making this clear.


Please stay tuned for more teacher and union news and views about the great group of Beginning Teachers we have, as well as  more about this weekend's conference in the days ahead.

Education Minister Broten at the BTC Friday.

Beginning Teacher's 2012 was a great success but....

Have the first tremours of a seismic Ontario political shift begun..........?.

Our Education Minister: Some Thoughts + Speculation

Etobicoke Lakeshore Liberal MPP and Minister of Education Laurel Broten held her 9th New Year Levee with her many constituents, family, friends and helpers back in her home riding on January 29th. I recognised a number of our TSU members present including Counsellor Bianka Hudek who has worked with Laurel since our unit first helped her get elected in 2003. Indeed Laurel was quick to recognise us all and note, in her address, that at least a third of her election workers have been teachers. She looks forward to continue working with us now in her new role as Minister of Education.

I have posted before why I think Laurel could serve us very well as Minster of Education. There will  however, be challenges, of that there isn't any doubt. Our contract talks will begin soon. When I enquired about this, Laurel noted that it is not easy getting all the various partners to sit down together at the provincial table first to set up a framework for our local negotiations as in years past. We must also consider that there is no longer a majority Liberal government at Queens Park. It's only a one seat minority, but still the political climate will have changed as the new legislature meets to carry out it's work.

You have probably heard about the Drummond Report which will make recommendations on how the province might balance the budget. We can expect the Tim Hudak Conservatives to continue to call for pay and benefit cuts for teachers and other members of the public service sector. NDP leader Andrea Horwath will take the exact opposite tact, insisting even more be spent. The McGuinty Liberals will once again be in the political centre trying to perform a balancing act. Public opinion could sway all over the place rocking the political spectrum from right to left. Watch with interest; it will be a very difficult balancing act indeed!

TSU Ad Hoc Special Education [AHSE] Chair Linda Witney was also in attendance at the Levee and met our new Minister of Education. Our AHSE committee is currently involved in carrying out a Special Education review to be shared with our Local Bargaining Committee to use during the contract talks. Of course, in any such contract negotiation, there are pay, benefit and working condition issues that will all need to be addressed. I haven't any doubt Laurel will be very educational friendly to us as teachers, but of course she will have a difficult balancing act to perform with our many different partners in education, who will also be letting the ministry know what they think and want too.

I have discussed our AHSE Committee work before, and will do so again soon, to explain our work further. In the meantime suffice to say that when the contract is being hammered out there will be a lot of important issues and different interests discussed at the table. It's good to know OECTA Provincial  Government Relations has had a very good working relationship with Laurel, most notably over the past while in developing the all day Kindergarten program when Laurel had the Minstery of Child and Youth portfolio. And of course she isn't a stranger at TSU either. Special Education is certainly one of many issues, both the TCDSB and us will want to discuss.

On our way into the Levee Laurel, Janet and I reminisced a bit about the Witmar years. Who could've guessed then, at the beginning of our long struggle to elect and support an education friendly government, that someday Laurel would be our Minister of Education? Likewise who knows what will happen in the years ahead?

There was some very interesting scuttlebutt making the rounds at the Levee on the possibility of Premier McGuinty stepping down and calling a provincial leadership convention during his 3rd term in office. Such speculation is not new. Apparently he promised his wife Terry that he would only be premier for 10 years, and she is keen to hold him to this, and get back home to Ottawa. The latest speculation is that Dalton is considering a run in the Federal Liberal Leadership race! Both the Provincial and the Federal liberals were doing a lot of hobnobbing during their concurrent conventions in Ottawa recently, and a lot of Dalton's speeches and addresses have more national than provincial references in them as of late. If you consider that Dalton McGuinty is now the longest reigning and most successful Liberal Party leader in Canada, the idea of him running for Federal Liberal Party leader might not be too far fetched. We will have to wait to see.

The possibility opens up another interesting prospect. Who would then run for Ontario Provincial Liberal Leader? Kennedy and Smitherman are long gone now. Kathleen Wynne's name often comes up, but how would she play outside the Metro Toronto mindset? What about Laurel then? She's young, married, has two kids in our French Catholic immersion schools, and an experienced profile that includes the Environment, Healthcare, Childcare and Education Ministries. It's interesting to speculate. Could Laurel someday become our first female Ontario Premier?

Even those closest to Laurel at the Levee, family not withstanding claim they don't know what Laurel might do, even suggesting perhaps she won't until the time arrives. It might be a prospect to watch for carefully over the next year or two as she settles down into her newest high profile ministry.

In the meantime, other more immediate and pressing issues are ready to possibly boil over on the front burner of Ontario educational politics. There's the new contract, the GSA [Gay Straught Alliance Club] issue in the Catholic schools; on and on the list goes. Laurel will definitely be one minister to watch with great interest over the next little while as she rises to the many challenges that lie ahead!

PS: You can find my October posting on Laurel in my Blog Archives at the bottom of this column. Likewise in my September and October blogs I have discussed the Ontario political scene in greater depth, especially as it affects our Catholic schools. Also what Andrea Horwath needs to do. There is more info on AHSE in the December Archives as well. Photos from the Levee are posted in the slide show top screen left. Your comments are always appreciated in person, or via the link in the space below each blog.