oecta prepares for contract negotiations - oncopole 2011 12 01.pdfbrother, sister, parent or step...
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OECTA Prepares for Contract Negotiations
All existing four year contracts expire this coming August. Whether you are an Elementary, Occasional, or
Secondary teacher, a new contract will need to be negotiated for you. There are a number of important steps in
the process of getting a new contract implemented, and teachers’ input is sought at each step along the way.
During the last school year, separate collective bargaining committees were formed for Elementary, Occasional
and Secondary teachers. These committees were comprised of teachers who expressed interest in being person-
ally involved. The responsibility of the committees was to broadly represent teachers in the system and to assist
in setting bargaining goals and priorities. To accomplish this work, the committees developed surveys that so-
licited all teachers’ input. OECTA’s established bargaining position is “status quo plus”, which looks for real
improvements without rollbacks. The surveys were then analysed by the committees, comparing them to the
existing contracts, to identify changes that Waterloo teachers want.
At the close of last school year, the Elementary, Occasional and Secondary collective bargaining teams were
chosen. These teachers were selected from each of the larger committees. The teams consist of a small number
of teachers that will do the actual negotiating with the Board. Currently, the teams are developing the contract
proposal, which entails writing proposed contract language. As the proposals are developed, your input will be
sought again at an endorsation meeting. During this meeting, the team will present broad bargaining goals to
you, for your approval.
During the past two sets of contract talks, a Provincial Discussion Table (PDT) was held. At the PDT, OECTA
and the government settled on the amount of money that would be devoted to wage and benefit improvements.
All bargaining teams from across the province were recently called together to provide input into potential con-
tract improvements that teachers would like to see. This input will be used in a PDT, should one occur. In the
event that a PDT comes to an agreement, our contract proposal may be affected.
This coming spring, the Board must be provided with our intent to negotiate a new contract. Once notice has
been given, a meeting must be held within the following couple of weeks. At this meeting, dates will be set for
further negotiating. In previous negotiations, talks have resulted in a settlement within months while at other
times, it has taken up to a year. If the bargaining team decides they are having difficulty in getting to an agree-
ment or facing strips from the existing contract, then a strike vote may be taken. Providing the team with a
strike mandate does not mean that a strike is guaranteed, but it does provide the team with extra support that
may be required to reach an agreement. At the end of the process, once the bargaining team has an agreement
that they find acceptable, it is presented in a ratification meeting to all teachers. At this meeting, you will vote
to either accept or reject the offer.
Further negotiating updates will be sent to you, by the Vice-President that represents your teacher group.
Skating with Santa
On Thursday, November 24th, OECTA Waterloo hosted
our 2nd Annual Skate with Santa event at the Ice Park in
Cambridge. This year, the turnout was TERRIFIC.
Of course, Santa was a HUGE hit – taking to the ice
and handing out treats to the children by the Christmas
tree. A great time was had by all!
Watch for us next year – same time, same place.
All of us at the OECTA office wish you a Happy and
Holy Christmas! Enjoy your time with family and
friends!
OECTA Membership Cards
A member can request a new or replacement OECTA
membership card by sending an e-mail message to
[email protected]. Membership cards are printed in
batches approximately every two weeks and mailed to
Association Representatives for distribution. The member
should include the following information in the e-mail request:
Full name
OECTA # (if previously issued and known)
Home mailing address
Home phone number
Board
Teaching status (full-time, part-time, occasional, etc.)
If full-time/part-time - name of school
Teaching panel: elementary or secondary
OCT #
OECTA - Waterloo Unit Chalktalk www.oectawaterloo.on.ca • 127 Weber St. W. Kitchener N2H 4A1 • 519 744 8051
Page 2
Know Your Leaves
Secondary and Elementary teachers have 21 different types of
leaves that they are able to access in their collective agree-
ments. Please refer to “Article 5: Leaves of Absence” for
more information. Occasional teachers should refer to Article
11 in their Collective Agreement for more information about
the number and types of leave that they are able to access. Con-
tinue Education teachers should refer to Article 8.
Elementary and Secondary teacher leaves include:
Sick Leave:
- maximum of twenty days per school year – pro-rated for
part-time teachers – may accumulate to a maximum of
240 days
- the Board has the right to request medical documentation
by a Physician
- 100% of accumulated sick leave from a previous Board
will be recognized by WCDSB, to WCDSB max
Personal Obligation Days:
- two (2) per school year, charged against sick leave
- teachers with a partial contract receive a pro-rated amount
of time
- not to be used on PD Days, Parent-Teacher Interview
days, semester start-up/end days, before or after a break,
or before or after a statutory holiday
- these days cannot be combined with a request for unpaid
leave
- these days approved by Principal
Emergency Leave:
- up to one-half day, approved by the Principal
- covered the other teachers
Any of the following leaves must be approved by HR:
Long Term Leave:
- up to one year at a time, without loss of previous service
credit
- a teacher must have completed two years of employment,
and must apply before March 31st of the previous year
- while on leave, a teacher may request an extension of said
leave, must apply before February 15th
Short-Term Compassionate Leave:
- up to three days per school year at the discretion of HR
with or without loss of service credit or sick leave credit
- Personal Obligation Days will be required to be used first
Bereavement Leave:
- five days for loss of spouse, child, step-child, ward,
brother, sister, parent or step-parent within 8 calendar
days of the date of death
three days for mother- or father-in-law, fiancé, grand-
child, grandparent within 8 calendar days of the date of
death
cont pg 4
Minister of Education Addresses OECTA
The new Minister of Education, Hon. Laurel Broten, addressed
OECTA at the Council of Presidents, November 4th. Shortly after
being sworn in as the new Minister of Education, Laurel Broten,
took time from her busy schedule to attend OECTA’s fall Council
of Presidents as a gesture to open lines of communication. All
OECTA Presidents from across the province were in attendance as
the Minister explained her personal leadership style and priorities
for education.
Laurel Broten is a lawyer and mother
of twin six year old boys in the
Catholic school system. She was first
elected to the Ontario legislature in
2003 and was re-elected in 2007 and
2011. She was appointed Minister of
Education in October 2011, and she
continues to serve as Minister Re-
sponsible for Women's Issues.
Broten has served as Minister of
Children and Youth Services, Minis-
ter of the Environment, Parliamentary
Assistant to the Minister of Energy
and Infrastructure, the Minister of
Health and Long-Term Care and to
the Premier. She also had responsibil-
ity for Ontario's Poverty Reduction Strategy.
As Minister of Education, Broten expressed that she wants to con-
tinue to build on the successes of the education system. She sees
these successes as increase student achieve, building confidence in
the system among the public and closing the gap for struggling
students. These improvements are possible because of the of part-
nerships and commit of teachers and she wanted teachers to know
You Choose to Give Up
or
You Choose to Get Up
Last month I marked a weird sort of anniversary. Seventeen years
ago on October the 13th (a Friday no less) I was diagnosed with
Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia. At the time I was principal at St.
David CSS and had a very young family. My diagnosis came out
of nowhere. I had been feeling pretty tired but figured it was the
job, parenting and middle age. I remember it took awhile to come
to grips with all of it. As it turns out, CLL was considered the
"Cadillac" of blood cancers as it progressed at a slow rate, which is
good considering there is no cure for it. What was worrisome was
that I was an anomaly as it normally is seen in much older people.
I was in my early 40's and this interested the doctors at Princess
Margaret Hospital (PMH) who included my case as part of an in-
ternational study. While international recognition is something we
might strive for, this wasn't the preferred route.
I was a patient at PMH for 9 years and, when the haematology
department opened at Grand River Regional Cancer Centre, my
case was transferred here. In both hospitals I have received super-
lative care. Last year I developed Hodgkin's Lymphoma which, if
CLL is the "Cadillac" of cancers, this is probably the "Lada". With
the chemo I received for CLL I was able to work, bike and run as I
had very few side effects. With the Hodgkin's I dropped 30 pounds
and could barely walk 20 yards, holding on to my son for support.
The chemo just about did me in, more so than the Hodgkin's.
Luckily for me things have reversed and life looks a lot more
hopeful. My hair even came back thicker and a little less grey...go
figure. It's a cliché for sure but, every day is a gift.
Had I received the Hodgkin's diagnosis 17 years ago instead of the
CLL, I likely wouldn't be around to tell you about the research and
development of new treatments for all kinds of cancer being done
at Princess Margaret and shared with other regional cancer centres
like the GRRCC. All of this costs enormous amounts of money
and there's never enough. That's why fundraising is so important. It
can literally save lives.
Maybe you know someone whose life was changed after a cancer
diagnosis. After all, in a normal lifespan, 2 in every 5 people are
diagnosed with some form of cancer. Maybe it's been a family
OECTA - Waterloo Unit Chalktalk www.oectawaterloo.on.ca • 127 Weber St. W. Kitchener N2H 4A1 • 519 744 8051
Page 3
member or a friend. Maybe it's even been you or someone you
work with. I can't count the number of people within the WCDSB
(or their loved ones) I regularly see at the GRRCC for treatment.
We could probably hold a staff meeting, but chemo is bad enough
on its own.
When you get a diagnosis, you have two simple choices: you
choose to give up, or you choose to get up. I hope none of us sees
the first one as viable. The care and support we receive from our
health care team, as well as from those who love us, is even more
powerful than the drugs ingested into our systems to counteract the
disease. And, while the former will help us heal, the latter is im-
portant in the process. We want and deserve the best treatment
possible. We are constantly on the lookout for advances in medical
science to help us conquer cancer. Not surprisingly, it comes at a
cost and not all of it can be borne by government.
That's why fundraising initiatives like the Ride to Conquer Cancer
are so important. In June of 2012 a team of 22 riders from the Wa-
terloo CDSB will make up the "Wheeling for Healing" team, rid-
ing 200 km from Toronto to Niagara Falls. Check the names of the
team members below. Some of them may be in your school or pro-
vide services to you at the CEC. They come from all union groups,
with the majority being members of OECTA. Each team member
must raise a minimum of $2500 to participate, though there is no
upper limit. OECTA is a proud sponsor of the team. Hopefully you
will be as well. You
can choose to directly
sponsor a team mem-
ber or hold various
fundraising events at
your school, in coop-
eration with your
school administrators
who received a letter
asking for their sup-
port last week. Riders
often choose a person
they ride for as a mo-
tivator. Perhaps your
school or site might choose to sponsor a rider knowing they are
riding for a fellow staff member. That kind of emotional support is
a huge help in healing.
The money raised goes directly to support the great work being
done at Princess Margaret Hospital. The doctors there work in col-
laboration with our regional cancer centre to ensure you or your
loved one has a broad range of treatment options. So, what benefits
PMH benefits us.
cont pg 5
Know Your Leaves (cont)
Bereavement Leave – Other:
- at the discretion of HR, one day for attending a funeral
Pregnancy/Parental Leave:
- a teacher on pregnancy leave shall be permitted to continue
participating in all benefit plans (the teacher pays the em-
ployee's contributions to the plans). If a teacher opts out of
benefits, they must provide written notice to the Board.
- if request for an extension of the leave is granted, the teacher
assumes full responsibility for the cost of benefits. The
teacher must request, in writing, to continue benefits for the
duration of the extended leave
Adoption Leave: - the employee shall have the option of Plan A or Plan B:
Plan A - up to a maximum of four days for needs directly re-
lated to the legal adoption of a child
Plan B - leave may be granted under the same terms and condi-
tions outlined for Pregnancy / Parental Leave (except
for proof of pregnancy)
Paternity Leave:
- a male teacher shall be granted up to four days for needs di-
rectly related to the birth of his child without loss of pay or
service credit
Educational Leave - Conferences: - granted without loss of pay or service credits for attendance
at approved professional conferences and seminars, at the
discretion of HR
Education Leave – Board Initiated:
- if the Board initiates the request for Educational Leave, the
Board shall pay one hundred percent of approved costs
Long Term Educational Leave:
- granted at the discretion of the Board, for a teacher not on
probation, provided the leave commences on the first day of a
new school term, without loss of previous service credit
University/College Graduation Leave:
- one day, without loss of pay or service credit, to attend a
graduation for self, spouse or child
University/College Examination Leave:
- one day for a final exam written during the regular school
day
- one half day, if exam is written on a school day outside regu-
lar teaching hours
- satisfactory proof to be submitted to the Board
OECTA Release Time:
- release officers and school reps may, from time to time, be
released to do OECTA Business, with regular paid salary
without loss of service credit
Deferred Salary Leave:
- Refer to Appendix A in the Collective Agreement
cont pg 5
What is OECTA’s stand on driving students?
The responsibility for transporting students should remain with the
school board and parents. Public transportation or hired buses are
the best ways to transport students. OECTA recommends that
teachers do not use their own personal vehicles for any reason to
transport students. Teachers risk being personally liable, even
when renting a car to transport students, such as the risk that a stu-
dent or parent may sue or complain.
OECTA advises that teachers are under no obligation to personally
transport students, for any reason. Even in an emergency, the
teacher is free to refuse to provide transportation, and should trans-
port students only if fully aware of the risks involved.
In the past, teachers often used their own vehicles to transport stu-
dents to school functions and field trips. However, in today's liti-
gious society, teachers must rethink this practice. In addition, al-
though the board may assure teachers that board insurance will
protect them in the event of an accident, this is not always the case.
Board insurance policies usually contain ceilings on payouts; addi-
tional amounts may then be recovered from the teacher's insurer.
In the event of an accident, teachers could face cancellation of
their auto insurance policies or a steep increase in premiums, espe-
cially if they have not previously notified their insurer that their
vehicle could be used to transport students. Even if the teacher is
not at fault, anyone involved in the accident could launch a civil
suit seeking damages far beyond the liability coverage in the per-
sonal auto insurance. This also applies to car rental situations. If
the rental car is not fully insured through the car rental outlet, the
teacher’s personal insurance could be held liable. In cases where
this has occurred, the school board insurance policy has claimed
that they are not liable for any coverage, leaving the teacher’s per-
sonal insurance carrier to battle with the car rental insurer over
who is liable.
Teachers who choose to transport students should ensure that the
board insurance policy will cover transporting students by teach-
ers, and that the teacher has sufficient insurance coverage for per-
sonal injury to student passengers and property damage. If teachers
are asked to transport students to school functions, including be-
fore and after school events such as concerts and sporting events,
there should be a process in place to obtain parental consent. There
should also be a protocol providing official board approval prior to
the event for the function and the transportation of students.
As well as personal financial liability for costs, teachers risk pro-
fessional liability if a student makes an accusation of professional
impropriety during the trip. Without a witness, the student’s state-
ment must be weighed against the teacher’s statement. This could
lead to investigation by the school board, Family and Childrens’
Services, police or the Ontario College of Teachers. This is not a
risk that teachers should take.
For more information, don’t hesitate to call the local
OECTA office or the provincial Counselling and
Member Services Department.
OECTA - Waterloo Unit Chalktalk www.oectawaterloo.on.ca • 127 Weber St. W. Kitchener N2H 4A1 • 519 744 8051
Page 4
Correction:
OUR FAX NUMBER IS 519-744-0911.
Many people have been trying to send faxes through our phone
line, due to a type-o on the PD Funding forms originally sent out.
To send a fax, please use the LARGE number above. THANKS!
OECTA - Waterloo Unit Chalktalk www.oectawaterloo.on.ca • 127 Weber St. W. Kitchener N2H 4A1 • 519 744 8051
Page 5
Know Your Leaves (cont)
Quarantine:
- by order of the Medical Officer of Health, a teacher shall be
granted a leave without loss of pay or sick leave credits, with
the understanding the teacher is not currently on sick leave
- Board has the right to request appropriate documentation
Appointed or Elected Position Leave:
- municipal Council, Region of Waterloo, Library Board, Con-
servation Authority
- leave will not exceed three days in a school year
Jury Duty/Court Appearance:
- jury duty or subpoenaed witness service will be allowed
without loss of pay or service credit
- any remuneration received for jury/witness service is turned
over the Board
- a teacher will be given time to plead a case with no loss of
service credit. The teacher may be required to reimburse the
Board for the cost of a replacement teacher.
Sabbatical Leave:
- teaching staff may be provided the opportunity to improve
the Board’s competency in areas deemed to be needs of the
School System (see Appendix B: Sabbatical Leave)
The Spirit of Christmas
OECTA Waterloo Gives… Just Like Santa
Below is a list of donations that OECTA Waterloo has made dur-
ing 2011. Each year, 6% of the Unit’s general budget is allocated
to the Recognition Committee, who distribute donations, bursaries
and awards. Recipients this year include:
Lutherwood
Cambridge Shelter
KW Counselling
St. Mary’s Hospital
Arthritis Society
Make A Wish Foundation
Working Centre
Special Olympics
House of Friendship
Parents for Community Living
St. Monica House
Plus 13 student bursaries
Additional donations were made by other committees to:
United Way
Gowns for Grads
Mosaic Counselling
Food Bank of Waterloo Region
Mitts, Scarves and Hats to elementary schools
Personal Hygiene products to secondary schools
Unwrapped toys for The Firefighters of Waterloo Region
You Choose to Give Up (cont)
For more information you can contact Rob Holowack, Darcy Davis
or Peggie Nicolson via board email. This idea was born on their
bikes in this year's ride and I, along with many others, are grateful
for their commitment.
Best wishes,
Member, Wheeling for Healing Committee
Click here to find out more or donate to the
“Wheeling For Healing” team.
“Wheeling For Healing” Riders Darcy Davis Education Centre
Robert Holowack Education Centre
Peggie Nicolson Education Centre
Denise Francis Education Centre
Marilyn Lajeunesse Education Centre
Cathy Simoes St. Agatha
Alan Dicknoether Holy Family
Carla Santomero St. Don Bosco
Carolyn Coffey St. Nicholas
Fernando De Sousa Education Centre
Marina Ducharme Education Centre
Patrick Eby Education Centre
Kate Darcy St. Elizabeth
Lisa Bourque Blessed Sacrament
Joni Grundy St. Mary
Matt Acheson St. Mary
Paul Bourdeau St. Mary
Phil Leger St. Timothy
Kelley McLeman Holy Spirit
Laura Dicknoether WRDSB
Kevin Hynes Holy Family
Ray Halstead St. Agnes
Where Do We Come From – Where Are We Going?
Educators in Ontario have a proud history, and those of us who have been doing this for awhile will remember some of the events detailed
in the timeline below:
As we move ahead to 2012 and beyond, your collective bargaining teams will continue to celebrate the significant advances that have been
made for the teaching profession through the hard work of OECTA Provincial and those negotiators that have gone before us. We will
work hard to always keep in the mind the bargaining objectives that were identified in the surveys that the teachers of Waterloo Region
completed. We look forward to representing you as we move towards building our contract proposal and present it to the negotiating team
from the Board office.
1993 1995 2003 2011 2012
RAE Days The Common Sense Revolu-tion
Labour stability, Educational reform, Accountability
Oct. 6th VOTE Looking Ahead
- frozen on salary grid - common curriculum - destreaming - 5% pay cut - Rae days
- $2 BILLION cut from educa-tion
- teaching 7 out of 8 - permanent teacher testing - demoralized educators - private school tax credit - 55,000 students leave publicly
-funded schools - province-wide political pro-
test
- improved test scores and graduation rates
- 49% increase in per pupil funding
- 24% increase in teacher sala-ries
- smaller class sizes - increased prep time - ELKP for everyone - Ontario schools rank among
the top in the world!
- the people of Ontario chose to keep education at the forefront of provincial talks
- all contracts expire - will there be a PDT? - fiscal restraint? - working conditions? - safety in our schools - teacher autonomy - initiative overload…
OECTA - Waterloo Unit Chalktalk www.oectawaterloo.on.ca • 127 Weber St. W. Kitchener N2H 4A1 • 519 744 8051
Page 6
Things Heat Up in Guatemala
The Status of Women’s Committee was certainly busy last year. In June,
the group donated $250 to the “Guatemala Stove Project”, and as a result,
we were able to purchase a cooking and heating stove for a family (photo
attached). Many families in this area of the world heat their homes and
cook with open fires in the middle of their houses. The purchase of a stove
will benefit this family by having a warm, comfortable home in the cold
season, eating hot, cooked meals – all done without exposing the family to
harmful carcinogens from open fires.
New members are always welcome at our Status of Women's Committee
meetings! Please contact Heather Poje-Fascinato or Suzanne Johnson (Co-
Chairs) for more details.
Waterloo Unit Fall AGM
Approximately 175 teachers gathered at the Waterloo Inn on Monday, November 14 for the
Unit’s annual general meeting and dinner. During the meeting, business included acceptance
of this year’s budget, consideration of over 70 resolutions to our by-laws and 16 resolutions to
be sent to the Provincial AGM. Reports from all the Unit’s committees included the Status of
Women, Spiritual Development, Social, Professional Development and Recognition, among
others.
The dinner portion of the evening was a celebration. Beginning Teachers and teachers who
have devoted 25 years to Catholic education were recognized. Our students who were Young
Author Award winners were also presented with gifts.
President: Michael Devoy
Past President: Warren Grafton
Treasurer: Anton Milardovic
Vice President and CEO Elementary: Patrick Etmanski
Vice President and CEO Occasional:
John Kearns
Vice President and CEO Secondary: Chris Stockie
Recording Secretary: Melissa Garrett
Councillor Elementary: Virginia Hansraj
Councillor Elementary: Samantha Brehm
Councillor Occasional: Kimberley Namespetra-
Sullivan Councillor Secondary:
Mark Devlin Councillor Secondary:
Steve Tangney ETO Councillor:
Rob Purificato
Unit
Executive
Puzzle Corner
Complete the number crossword, then submit your answer (with name and school location) to the
OECTA Office by faxing to 519-744-0911 or by e-mailing to [email protected].
Prizes are available for first responders! Teachers can “win” puzzle corner only once per school
year.
Across 1. Three times 19 down
4. 19 down minus five
6. 15 across plus eighty-three
7. 17 across minus 2
8. 18 down plus thirty-eight
10. 19 across minus sixty-six
12. 3 down plus forty-seven
14. 12 across doubled
15. 13 down minus 150
17. 20 down minus sixteen
19. 5 down minus 133
21. Minutes in four hours
22. Four times 4 across
23. Five times 10 down
Down 1. 12 across divided by eleven
2. 1 down plus twenty-five
3. Minutes in three days
4. Dozen in twelve gross
5. Seconds in five minutes
9. 17 down minus eleven
10. 11 down minus eight
11. Minutes in three hours
13. 3 down divided by twelve
16. 23 across doubled
17. 14 across divided by eleven
18. 4 down times three
19. Months in nine years
20. 3 down divided by six
Contact Us: Michael Devoy: [email protected] Chris Stockie: [email protected] Patrick Etmanski: [email protected] John Kearns: [email protected] Office Email: [email protected]