Press Release/s
Minister of Education on Negotiations with ETFO
Stephen Lecce, Minister of Education, issued the following statement in response to the latest round of bargaining with the Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario (ETFO):
“Over the past few days, the Government has further demonstrated our focus on keeping kids in class through a voluntary agreement. As part of that commitment, and to further underscore my public statements, we have affirmed in writing that we will be maintaining Ontario’s world-class kindergarten program.
I have long said that compensation, pay, and benefits, remain a top priority for teachers’ union leaders, and that remains true today. Even following our formal commitment to one of their publicly-stated priorities, ETFO leadership continues to advance compensation for their members over the protection of the education system for our youngest learners.
The Government has continued to signal reasonableness on issues from special education supports to efforts to counter violence in schools. Yet, the teachers’ union leadership push for compensation that comes with a substantial cost to the taxpayer.
While the mediator has called off discussions for now, the Government stands ready to meet at any time, to reach a deal that keeps students in class.”
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Job action scheduled for week of February 3 as talks break down between ETFO, school board associations and government
Mediated discussions between the Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario (ETFO), school board associations and the Ford government, which had resumed on January 29, broke down late Friday, January 31, 2020.
“ETFO made every effort over the past three days to move negotiations forward but it became increasingly clear that the Ford government was not willing to address key issues in any meaningful way,” said ETFO President Sam Hammond. “For example, the government wants to reduce funding to support the learning needs of special education students, and it wants ETFO to agree to those cuts at the bargaining table. We can’t do that.”
“The government is unwilling to make any significant efforts to address the problem of classroom violence, or to support the integration of students with diverse learning needs,” continued Hammond.
School boards and the government are also trying to gut a long-standing fair, transparent and equitable teacher hiring process established under Regulation 274/12.
“The government’s own study has shown that the fairness Regulation 274 brings to the teacher hiring process is consistent with diversity objectives in employment,” pointed out Hammond. “ETFO is concerned this move, which is an attempt to reintroduce teacher hiring based on nepotism and favoritism, will destroy the principles of diversity and equity in hiring.”
ETFO will escalate its rotating strikes across the province beginning Monday, February 3.
“Our members have made it very clear that they are committed to protecting public education, and they expect to see a bargaining outcome at the central table that supports the learning needs of their students,” noted Hammond. “Agreeing to accept cuts to the funding that elementary students have had in previous years, and that they desperately need now, is not something that ETFO will consider.”
“The Minister claims that he is there for students,” stated Hammond. “If that’s the case, then he should have no issue instructing his bargaining team to make investments in the priority funding and special education funding currently on the table.”
ETFO represents 83,000 elementary public school teachers, occasional teachers and education professionals across the province.
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