Windsor AGM: Rights and Sexual Identity

OECTA AGM 2012 passed a number of controversial motions in the ongoing debate between Denominational verses Human Rights, concerning sexual identity, GSA's [Gay Straight Alliances] and employment practices within our Catholic schools. All motions were passed by a huge majority of the voting delegates from the various local teacher units across the province. These approved motions represent a major reversal from attempts to pass such motions in years past. They are listed below;

That the Policies, Bargaining Goals,and Rights section of our by-laws be amended with the addition of a new section to include:

 

The protection from dismissal, promotion denials and harassment in exercising their leadership roles, of all teachers with regard to sexual orientation and sexual identity.

The pro side argued that when our Collective Agreements with the school boards are being negotiated, same sex teachers should have the same job security, personal protections, benefits and treatment as the rest of our teachers do. It was also argued that this would protect the Catholic school system from criticism over our human rights policies, which could be used against us for the withdrawal of public funding for our schools. The con side argued that this motion should not be discussed or approved because it violates church teachings. Arguments also focused on grammar and punctuation, and an unsuccessful attempt was made to have the motion tabled until next year so these could be corrected.

That  OECTA's Human Rights Policies be amended to read:

That the Association endorse and encourage the formation of support groups in keeping with the philosophy and objectives of Gay-Straight Alliances.

For the Con side a letter was provided from Cardinal Tom Collins stating that the Ontario bishops do not support the formation of Gay-Straight Alliance school clubs, as recently mandated by the Ministry of Education. The pro side argued a need for anti bullying protection of LGBTQ students [lesbian, bisexual, transsexual, two spirited queer and questioning individuals]. Reference was also made to a letter from the Assembly of Catholic Bishops of Ontario in January 2010. It was argued the motion's language was in keeping with that of the letter.

That the Policies and Human Rights section be amended by the addition of a new section:

That the association support an inclusive learning and working environment for lesbian, bisexual, transsexual, two-spirited, queer and questioning individuals.

The pro side argued a need to clarify our association's human rights position to maintain the support of our political allies for public funding of the Catholic Schools. An argument was made that the Gospel calls everyone to respect and maintain the dignity of all persons. The con side maintained that in the case of sexual orientation it violated Biblical and Church teachings that say these sexual activities are a sin.

In conclusion, I have tried as accurately as possible to briefly  summarize the basic pro and con arguments made for these motions in an attempt to help you understand how the decisions were made. OECTA Provincial will provide the official perspective. Most likely many other Catholic and non Catholic groups will also be weighing in with often quite contrasting views and interpretations of the AGM process and the approved motions. I hope my explanation will just help provide a quick and timely overview of what basically happened.

Whether one agrees or disagrees with the approval of these motions, please note that OECTA AGM is a very democratic assembly in which a very wide cross section of our teachers' views can be presented and debated upon for deciding the future direction of our association. As per our Constitution it is the chief decision making body of our teacher organization.

I know from my own executive experience in the delegate selection process that it is carried out fairly. Delegates are not chosen based upon their views of any particular AGM resolution. Likewise the resolutions can be written by any member. They are then voted upon by any and all of our TSU teachers at a general membership meeting before they are forwarded to the AGM. At this year's TSU Resolutions Meeting the above motions were passed with a relatively slim majority. Members with opposite views both pro and con were all invited to apply for OECTA AGM 2012. Here the final decisions would be made together with the rest of our teacher units from across the province. The numbers suggest that many members province wide who supported these motions applied to attend. The huge majority of support also suggests to me that many who didn't agree did not apply to go. In the final analysis this was a very transparent democratic process conducted by our teachers union.

Without doubt, these issues will be very controversial within the much wider debate between denominational and human rights raging in our Catholic community. I can only hope that my blog provides some food for thought and helps you understand how these decisions were argued, without prejudice, from what I saw and heard. Please visit http://oecta.on.ca for more complete and official information from OECTA provincial.

My other blogs from the Windsor AGM  are located below with more to follow. I hope that all our delegates now get a chance to relax and enjoy the March break. I know I will. Volunteering for the AGM involves a very long weekend of presentations and debate before one begins March break! Whew!

Windsor OECTA AGM 2012: A view of the assembly at work.

AGM Ends With Flurry of Motions Passed!

Monday, the final day of OECTA AGM 2012, saw many important and sometimes controversial motions being passed before orders of the day were called at 12 noon. These include motions related to inclusivity and Palestine. An earlier motion rolled back the $60 one time political action levy from last year. Without any further increases being approved, our membership fee will revert to $950 for this year.

I'm at the Windsor airport waiting for our flight back to Toronto. Janet and I are tired, but it was an exciting whirlwind trip to the convention and back. Further details of these motions and more will be posted shortly once I catch my breath. Meanwhile please see my previous AGM blogs below from earlier this weekend, if you haven't all ready....

Windsor AGM: The Education Minister's Reception!

Educational Minister Laurel Broten was greeted by a cold but respectful silence at this morning's OECTA AGM in Windsor. She received a polite reception from Provincial Executive President Kevin O'Dwyer focusing on her law and political career. Emphasis was placed upon her work at the Womans Affairs Directorate rather than at the Education Ministry.

Our delegates from across the province listened silently. There were no hand claps, or ovations, nor were there any hisses, boos or desultory comments. As she left she waved but it was to a crowd of blank faces sitting on their hands. The address went without incident in an incredible display of our typical OECTA restraint.

OECTA excels at quiet diplomacy. We talk. We exhaust all our options. Then when we take action it is very decisive. There isn't any haphazard grandstanding or idle threats. Most of the talking is completed behind the scenes through our lobbying and discussions with the Ministry. OECTA Provincial Government Relations works together with our local PACs [Political Advisory Committees]. We have a very good, credible track record, and are taken for our word at Queens Park.

In the past week or so we have seen ETFO [Elementary Teacher Federation of Ontario] walk out abruptly on the PDT talks. We have seen OSSTF [Ontario Secondary School Teacher Federation]dis-invite Minister Broten to their AGM this weekend. OECTA has stayed the course. The invitation remains; Come on back to the table and let's talk! We are not done yet!

Minister Broten reiterated the salary and grid freeze in her speech. I heard her mention the gratuity question. She noted only a few boards offer it. I did not recall any mention of the reduced sick days, and definitely not the pension cap. Was this significant, or just not her focus today? We will have to see. I would be careful about reading anything into this. It's just too early yet. Let's wait and see what happens back at the PDT table in the next week or so. The clock is certainly quickly ticking away for the Liberals towards Ontario budget day!

It is also perhaps noteworthy that in her comments the Minister empasized that the government has acted upon our teachers request for class size caps and that all day kindergarten not be cut. These are OECTA positions but it might almost seem like they are being used to call into question our "Who Speaks for Children?" campaign, now that the big teacher issues have become salary, sick days, gratuities and pension caps. Hmmm.

After her speech, and a press scrum, the Minister answered member questions at a tea and cookie reception upstairs. Presidents and members from some of the local units engaged her in a series of animate questions. Mention was made of the govennment's incredulous claim that they are now "facilitating" a discussion between the teachers and trustees. The later of couse haven't any authority whatsoever to negotiate with us at the PDT. [See my previous blog.] Broten stuck to this very dubious position which seemed to undermine her credibility. As far as salary freezes she mentioned that the MPP's are looking at a 5 year freeze for themselves, but it did not seem like a very convincing argument to make us feel any better in our current situation. Laurel continued to stress that she wanted to dialogue with OECTA, but for the most part seemed to me to be in a holding pattern, with nothing new to offer.

I watched and listened paying close attention to her language, gestures, expressions and tone. Having worked closely with her for 10 years now I find it very hard to understand the seeming disconnect with the strong personable teacher advocate I know and the Laurel Broten we see in her new Ministry of Education role. She seems very inconsistent and out of character to me. Read into that what you will, I'm still not sure what to make of it yet either.

Many of our members gave heartfelt arguments about the difficult position the proposed cuts would place them in, especially our younger teachers who will be especially hard hit by the double whammy of a salary and a grid freeze. Other teachers worried about the loss of sick days considering all the virus and bugs we are exposed to everyday at school, not to mention, and this is from me, the stress from just teaching these days, at least in many of our more challenging schools.

It is also interesting to note that originally Laurel Broten hadn't originally planned to host a hospitality event here in Windsor. I asked her what happened on our ride down the escalator after her speech. She had been dis invited from the OSSTF AGM, and said she was still keen on dialogue. On her way out I told her I look forward to seeing her at our next riding association meeting.

It was quite an interesting visit, and I think we, for our part, pulled it off with our usual OECTA finesse and sense of proper decorum. True, I saw a few BBB's [brown bag boys] in the audience, minus the brown or for that matter pink bags. Unlike during the Witmar AGM visit in 2003, the same bad history clearly does not exist yet, as it did back then.We look forward to hearing OECTA's official statement and analysis on how we move forward from here within the next week or so, after they have had proper time, and a few more PDT meetings, to put today's visit into better perspective.

Below: OECTA teachers ask tough questions while General Secretary Marshall Jarvis looks on at Minister of Education Laurel Broten's tea and talk event following her speech at AGM 2012.

Total PDT Confusion!!!

On Thursday March 8th Chief Government PDT negotiator James Farley claimed the PDT [Provincial Discussion Table] is not a discussion between the teacher associations and the government anymore. The rules of the game have suddenly changed. Instead PDT is now supposed to be a chance for them to act as a "facilitator" between us and the Trustees Association!

It's odd to say the least. The Trustees Association has no authority whatsoever to negotiate any type of PDT with us at the table. It is aways the government whom we negotiate with at PDT to determine what's available for our local contract talks with our school boards. As OECTA Provincial President Kevin O'Dwyer notes;

The bottom line is that it is the government that created the proposal, controls the funding, and are the owners of the PDR process, therefore they are the party with whom we need to be engaged in a discussion.

OECTA is hopeful that the government's PDT team will return to the table. Our silent lobby with the Liberal MPP's, whom we have helped in the past three provincial elections, might seem to be resonating in the government cabinet and caucus, but who really knows what they are thinking anymore? Our lobbying will continue and OECTA remains at the table waiting to talk.

The government's position and the PDT process is now very confusing at best. All the teacher's associations have outright rejected their opening offer. So what now about the proposal for a zero percent salary increase, a  reduction of sick days, and a cap on government contributions to our pension plan? What are we to make of this now? Who knows where the government PDT is going anymore?!?

Enquiring minds need to know!

My blog will continue with a Windsor Diary of our OECTA AGM over the next 3 days. This is certainly a very exciting start!

Stay tuned for a real roller coaster ride in the days ahead!

A tip of the hat to Bill and Rene for helping me proof read this blog.

Thanks!

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!