ETFO Toronto locals to stage one-day strike on Tuesday December 18

TORONTO, Dec. 15, 2012 /CNW/ - Toronto public elementary teachers and occasional teachers will stage a one-day strike this Tuesday December 18 to continue sending the government a message that Bill 115 is severely impeding local collective bargaining.

"To date, the education minister has yet to do anything to assist local school boards in pursuing fair and respectful negotiations with our members," said Sam Hammond, president of the Elementary Teachers' Federation of Ontario (ETFO). "She can end the chaos she has created by repealing Bill 115 and letting local bargaining proceed without interference."

"As the largest school board in the province, this is not an action that our members take lightly," said Martin Long, president of the Elementary Teachers of Toronto (ETT). "We have been forced into this action by an education minister who has willfully stripped educators of their legal right to collectively bargain."

"This fall, our members voted overwhelmingly in favour of strike action. It was a clear and firm response to Bill 115 and the minister's actions," added Marion Mutton, president of the Toronto Occasional Teacher Local. "We are taking a stand to defend the fundamental rights of working Ontarians because if we do not, then who will?"

During a vote on October 4, 2012, the locals received overwhelming mandates for strike action from their members. The locals moved into a legal strike position on December 10, 2012. Prior to that, they received no board reports through the conciliator appointed by the Ministry of Labour to resolve their bargaining impasse with the Toronto District School Board. 

Fast Facts:

ETFO is the professional and protective organization representing over 76,000 teachers, occasional teachers, and education professionals employed in the public elementary schools of Ontario.

ETFO ETT Local represents 11,707 elementary teachers employed by Toronto District School Board. The Toronto Occasional Teacher Local represents 2,715 Occasional Teachers.

Collective agreements for all ETFO locals expired on August 31, 2012.  Since then, ETFO members have been working without collective agreements in place.

SOURCE: Elementary Teachers' Federation of Ontario

Martin Long, ETT President, 416-393-9930, [email protected]
Marion Mutton, Toronto Occasional Teacher Local, 416-735-4671, [email protected]