Opening Statement



Wednesday 22 August 2012

A Note to My Readers

[Many more news links now added to this blog....].

Welcome new readers, and those of you returning from summer holidays! It was great that you could show up today for OECTA's PDT MOU [Professional Discussion Table Memo of Understanding] presentation. On my blogsite you will find PDT related news and document links going back quite a ways to this spring. The ones of most immediate interest will probably be those from July to August. At the bottom of this centre blog column you will find a Blog Archive where they can all be found. For starters might I suggest:

July 14th: OECTA PDT Study Guide [includes the complete PDT text and the OECTA info pack]
August 18th: OECTA Roadmap and the Putting Students First Act [the new legislation]
August 21st: OLP Recalls Legislature Aug. 27 [ditto]

Today's meeting was rather raucous at times, some of the questions inchoate. Without doubt emotions on the PDT issue run high, and those sentiments are quite understandable. However, consider your knowledge of the PDT issue like a student and their homework. This September you will need to be prepared for class in more ways than one!

On this site I have posted a wide variety of relevant documents and news links to help you become best informed on the PDT issue, especially if you have been away. The comments and views are my own. I also always try to present a wide variety of source documents and articles with different points of view to be as objective as possible.

As teachers, of course, you can read these over and decide for yourself what you think. The lack of information from our union over the summer is quite disappointing. It might well be causing confusion, and a lot of suspicion, as we saw at today's meeting. As you learn more, you may or may not find the confusion and suspicions are legitimate, or you  may decide they are unwarranted. My links here will hopefully assist you get up to speed on what is really going on.

It's been said we live in interesting times. Well, this fall will certainly be a case in point. I hope my blogs can be of some small help to you, as a member, in making sense of our OECTA PDT MOU.

You will find a Cuban Schools Project report below. Scroll below and you will find a whole bunch of PDT news links. Please share the link to my blogsite to any other teachers who might find it a worthwhile read.
Away we go.......................

Also, to get the ball rolling, here are some recent news links for your perusal:

Take Action:

Online poll: Is the province taking the right approach to teacher talks? Let's vote now at: http://fftimes.com/node/253978

ETFO plans Queen's Park Rally Aug. 28 12-1:30pm. For details + flyer see: http://www.controlyourfuture.ca/

Queen's Park Order and Notices agenda for August 27 available now: http://www.ontla.on.ca/web/house-proceedings/house_detail.do?locale=en&Date=2012-08-27&Parl=40&Sess=1&detailPage=%2Fhouse-proceedings%2Forders-and-notices%

In the News:

OSSTF/ETFO/CUPE plan court challenge to legislation:  http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/teachers-unions-vow-to-take-ontario-to-court-over-wage-freeze-legislation/article4494909/

Link to video of OSSTF/ETFO/CUPE press conference available at: http://www.osstf.on.ca/joint-press-conference

OSSTF/ETFO/CUPE to comment on legislation today [Thursday, Aug. 23]. Stay tuned: http://www.osstf.on.ca/MA-Aug-22-2012

Liberal Finance Minister Duncan believes legislation could withstand court challenge. Liberal/ NDP by election campaigns square off in K-W: http://www.therecord.com/news/local/article/786468--liberals-prepared-for-court-showdown-with-teachers-finance-minister

Toronto Star article comes out in support of legislation: http://www.thestar.com/opinion/editorials/article/1244656--mcguinty-deserves-opposition-support-on-education-spending-bill

National Post article suggests Hudak's  Conservatives will support legislation with a nasty proviso: http://www.thestar.com/opinion/editorials/article/1244656--mcguinty-deserves-opposition-support-on-education-spending-bill

Forum poll shows Conservatives would win slim majority if provincial election called today. 55% of public support public service wage freeze. See: https://www.forumresearch.com/forms/News%20Archives/News%20Releases/43644_Ontario_Issues_Poll_%28Forum_Research%29_%2820120815%29.pdf

York Board signs onto OECTA PDT MOU agreement. Articles includes NDP response to Conservative support: http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/politics/article/1245396--tim-hudak-s-tories-warm-to-mcguinty-s-teacher-wage-freeze-bill

Brant-Haldimand Norfolk Catholic agrees to MOU too: http://news.ontario.ca/edu/en/2012/08/brant-haldimand-norfolk-catholic-district-school-board-implements-negotiated-teacher-deal.html

OECTA President O'Dwyer accuses Windsor-Essex Catholic board of provoking teacher unrest:
http://www.windsorstar.com/business/Board+accused+provoking+labour+unrest/7131434/story.html

Dufferin-Peel Catholic teachers hold strike vote: http://www.mississauga.com/news/article/1490639--catholic-teachers-to-hold-strike-vote

OSSTF President discusses legislation on CFRB talk radio: http://www.osstf.on.ca/cfrb-newstalk-aug-17-2012

Ditto. This time with the CBC: http://www.osstf.on.ca/cbc-here-and-now-aug-21-2012

Teacher unions says work actions possible after school starts, and explain their position. The Education Minister reacts: http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/politics/article/1246009--teacher-unions-say-no-pressure-tactics-planned

Hudak comments on wage freeze first step in supporting legislation on CBC. Remember, the Conservatives have been insisting on a grid freeze: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/sudbury/story/2012/08/22/ontario-teachers-government-critics.html

Catholic, public and french school boards lobby MPP's in letter explaining why they are opposed to Fair Hire and OECTA MOU: http://www.peopleforeducation.ca/pfe-news/letter-to-mpps-from-ontarios-french-catholic-and-public-school-board-associations/

Some views on important need for Fair Hire Language clause in our MOU: http://www.thespec.com/opinion/letters/article/784449--teacher-hiring-practices-not-fair-at-all

Blogger speculates on need to recognize teachers professional leadership: http://bigideasinedu.edublogs.org/2012/08/22/do-as-we-say-not-as-we-do-the-disconnect-between-
education-initiatives-and-proposed-legislation/

A worthwhile opinion piece to read on teacher's as a target of a union busting campaign:
http://www.orilliapacket.com/2012/08/20/teachers-targets-of-union-busting

A very interesting opinion piece on the politics of legislating the MOUhttp://www.intelligencer.ca/2012/08/21/teacher-fight-about-getting-a-majority

McGuinty Liberal Satire. From NDP my guess. Pretty funny: http://daltonsdeals.tumblr.com/

More to follow, more below................

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

I was at the meeting today. Perhaps I am a bit naive, but I thought O'Dwyer explained the circumstances around the development and signing the MOU very well. Taking into account the current actions of the government, it does seem like he got his membership the best possible deal he could. I'm not so sure that a culture of secrecy exists. I guess only time will tell as things unfold.

Anonymous said...

In my opinion, yes you are just a "bit" naive.

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