Opening Statement



Friday 30 November 2012

Media Alert: Some end of the month thoughts!

[Updated Noon Saturday]

Media Alert: Some thoughts on strategy and messaging. Some old, some new. Let's refocus a little bit before we get on with the December news links starting tomorrow: 



Education Minister Laurel Broten takes a karaoke break! Want to guess what she's singing?!? Visit my Comments link below........................... ;-)

The OSSTF strike threat should finally cut threw the ridiculous OLP media spin that the provinces MOU plans for teachers are unfolding as they should. The MOE's December 31st MOU deadline fast approaches. All is definitely not well. Can the government simply bully it's way out of this one vis a vis Bill 115 without getting a really bad black eye or two.? Hopefully both ETFO and OSSTFs strategy and communication departments have thought this through very, very carefully.Will they seize the momentum or just set themselves up for a knock out punch? It's damn risky, but we do live in dangerous times! I'm going to go against the odds and  bet on the public school unions. Even should the MOE force the MOU on everybody, they are going to pay very dearly for it. Here's the Toronto Stars latest report from the Liberal bully pit:
http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/politics/article/1295168--laurel-broten--teachers-will-be-ordered-back-if-they-strike

Problems ahead? Latest Forum Research Poll shows majority support teachers, but a majority also don't approve job actions and strikes. Article does get it's unions mixed up. Significant? See: Latest Forum Teacher Strike Poll

McGuinty education speech totally omits labour strife. There is a very serious disconnect with reality  in the OLP. Eh? Oh yes in OECTA Provincial too. See: http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/article/1295629--rob-ford-eligible-to-run-in-by-election

Thomas Walkom's Toronto Star column succinctly explains the "better to go down fighting" argument I was discussing on my blogsite earlier this week. I'd add, "Take down an honour guard with you!" See: http://m.thestar.com/news/canada/politics/article/1295924--walkom-why-it-makes-sense-for-ontario-teachers-to-go-on-strike

Metro News sticks to tied, old "schools on brink of chaos" argument requiring MOE intervention. Claims ETFO is planning on a one day strike. I've heard that rumour too, but also of rotating strikes. Would be great to be a fly on the wall down at the ETFO war room eh? See: http://metronews.ca/news/ottawa/458991/schools-on-brink-of-chaos-as-elementary-teachers-prepare-to-strike/


Are Ontario's Public Elementary schools teetering on the edge of chaos?? ZZzzzzzzzzzzzzz!

PC Education Critic Lisa McLeod considers ETFO's actions politically "shrewd". The National Posts Scott Stinson thinks they will backfire in the public eye. See: http://fullcomment.nationalpost.com/2012/11/29/scott-stinson-ontario-teachers/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

MOE Broten approves the OSSTF tentative contracts with Ottawa, Kawartha, Lakehead, Durham and Simcoe boards for ratification purposes. So far this week the contracts have been turned down 2:1 by the membership. This has been a real public optics debacle for the ministry. It's different when the rank and file is sending out a resounding no! Can't blame that on "barking union leaders" as the Sun claims eh? See: http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/politics/article/1294435--dalton-mcguinty-not-worried-after-two-high-school-unions-reject-contracts

Late News Tip: OSSTF Hamilton Wentworth teachers rejected their contract today! Voted no! Thames Valley votes next week. Still no voting numbers being shown for any of these ratification votes or am I missing something [?!] Por que no/ Why not? I personally am quite pleased the contracts are being rejected but it's only fair and transparent to show the results! BTW This link is very cheesy. It keeps trying to re-direct you to the newspapers Christmas shopping section. See: OSSTF Hamilton Wentworth Rejects Contract

OSSTF Upper Grand contract ratification irregularities being cited! Executive officers resigning as accusations fly! Controversy focus on violation of proper ratification procedures as per by laws and constitution! See: OSSTF Upper Grand Ratification Challenged

OSSTF President Ken Coran claims there is a clause in Bill 115 that would allow it to be repealed by an Order in Council. I've heard this before too. He urges the OLP to use do so to avoid more chaos. See:
http://m.thestar.com/news/ontario/article/1295666--repeal-bill-115-to-end-education-chaos-union-leader-says

OSSTF's Ken Coran will hold a press conference Monday on their next actions. It will be held at the Sheraton Toronto Airport Hotel at 3pm. Details at: http://www.osstf.on.ca/MA-Nov-30-2012

Grits bounce back into 2nd place behind the Tories edging out the NDP in the latest poll. The leadership race is sure to give the OLP a big bump just by dominating the news headlines. Don't doubt for a minute this was a big consideration behind McGuinty suddenly resigning this fall. See: http://m.thestar.com/news/canada/politics/article/1295537--ontario-liberals-leadership-grits-bounce-up-to-second-place-in-latest-poll

Read the Forum Poll tea leaves for yourself to try to figure out what's going on: http://www.threehundredeight.com/2012/11/ontario-liberals-gain-at-expense-of-ndp.html

Going for the top? OLP Leaders Forum at Canadian Club by $ ticket $ only. Moderator is Steve Paikin. I know Steve is top notch and the Canadian Club provides a challenging forum but it just somehow rubs me the wrong way as being rather elitist especially with the theme "Who Will Be Ontario's Next Premier". Colour me wrong. Here's the ticket info: http://www.canadianclub.org/Events/EventDetails.aspx?id=3212

OK Good news I guess. You can watch the first leadership debate on line at 1pm Saturday. Personally I plan to go Christmas shopping. Only problem with that is I usually just end up buying stuff for myself that I see and like. Alas. Watch the debate atWatch First OLP Leadership Race


Let's not forget CUPE's struggle in December either!


Taking it to the streets? CUPE Local 4400 runs new transit videos and still ads to show how school board workers are necessary for quality education. A top notch media campaign all the way. Definitely check this out. Placement of ads at transit and subway stations is a fabulous mass outreach program too. IMHO teachers should consider video shorts running at regular interviews on the subway screens like CUPE is doing, especially during rush hour! Just a thought. See: http://www.cupe.on.ca/d2137/cupe-local-4400-transit

Pension Alert: Both the OLP and the PC's are coming after our pensions in the new year. Make no doubt about it! Here's Tim. More to follow. See: http://www.ontariopc.com/news/hudak-reform-public-service-pensions-to-be-sustainable-affordable-and-fair/

Rob Ford Again? Listen: this guy is our number one local union buster and right wing #@$#@%. The scary thing is his popular appeal. TVO Agenda's Steve Paikin considers the horrible possibility that he could still win the next city election if forced out of office: http://theagenda.tvo.org/blog/agenda-blogs/why-rob-ford-could-win-again

Toronto Star Royson James article describes why Ford is his own worst enemy. He also focuses on the bare truth that Ford was accepting "donations" from "lobby groups" who would usually want something in return. Why do folk think the complaint went to the integrity commission anyway? Left wing pinkos just out to get Ford? For shame! This is a must read. See: Ford Lobby Donations

Why the left must reclaim the Ford conversation in Toronto from the "tabloid and talk radio poo flingers" or face losing the battle. How? They can hate. We don't have to. Still we don't give in. Sound complicated? Blogger Sol Chrom provides an interesting argument. See: http://theagenda.tvo.org/blog/agenda-blogs/why-rob-ford-could-win-again

News Flash! Ho boy! Wouldn't you just know it! Only in Toronto! Judge decides Rob Ford can run in a by-election before 2014! More details to follow. For now see: http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/article/1295629--rob-ford-eligible-to-run-in-by-election

Worried?!? Remember: Rob Ford has at least one other court case for libel coming up in December.

BTW: Get this! Ford showed up out of the blue in our condo lobby this week to say hi to all the kids! Reaction? Kids? Parents? Innocent by-standers? They had nothing but praise. Apparently he really turned on the old charm. Wish I was there! ;-)


Sometimes truth is stranger than fiction!

Sometime I'll tell the story of how Ford showed up staggering drunk on my buddy Sparky's front porch while election campaigning door to door asking if he had any beer. I kid you not!!! Sparky invited him in! Why couldn't that have happened to me!?! What a great blog that would've made eh? An interview with Rob Ford. Drunk. On my couch. We could put on party hats. Photos and all......

PS: Sparky! Glad you have escaped winter in Florida! I plan to post the articles you sent me on teacher politics from down your way soon. Reader jaws will drop in shock! Wow! Take care good buddy! Any chance I could drop down during the holidays to ... er .... check out the school conditions?!?

PPS: Will spell and grammar check this blog later, gotta run for now....................................

PPPS: A lot of this weeks blogs have been updated below........................................

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi there. I used to be an OECTA member. I was active in my unit and even went to the first leadership training sessions which were amazing and filled with messages that made me believe in the union. Now I watch with sadness as OECTA Provincial exec refuses to take on the Liberals in the public realm. What gives? Are they that afraid of Hudak? If he is going to happen he is going to happen regardless of what OECTA does I think. Who knows maybe this is what the people want? Less kindness, more finger pointing and a race to the bottom? Anyway just my point of view but I would love to see OECTA do their part, show some leadership and live up to the values they taught when I was once an inspired catholic teacher and proud OECTA member. I was always told by those I knew from labour that OECTA was a weak union, really just a Liberal patsy and but I never really believed that. Maybe you could share this article from Thomas Walkom that was in today's Toronto Star? Thanks for the hard work you do on this site. It really helps keep me up to date. Here is the article: Making sense of teacher job action:http://m.thestar.com/news/canada/politics/article/1295924--walkom-why-it-makes-sense-for-ontario-teachers-to-go-on-strike

Anonymous said...

In the article mentioned above, Thomas Walkom writes:

"The unions are being told: “Yes, we have a gun to your head. But if you wish, you can pull the trigger yourself.”

It seems the teaching unions prefer that the government’s prints alone be on the weapon."

OECTA's prints are on that gun, too, after our leaders 'pulled the trigger' on ourselves by agreeing to the MoU in July. Our MoU subsequently became a key part of Bill 115 which states that the other affiliates' contracts need to be 'substantively identical' to our MoU. OECTA leadership will not/cannot take on the Liberals over Bill 115 because our leaders GAVE the Liberals the framework they needed for their legislation. This is why they are silent while the government tramples roughshod on collective bargaining processes with teachers. It is a shameful legacy indeed for OECTA teachers to have to bear due to the actions of their leadership, let alone being saddled with an absolutely godawful MoU.

Anonymous said...

Current OECTA Provincial leadership cares about no one but themselves. They say everyone loves the MOU but allow no one to vote on it. Every time a unit has a symbolic vote on the MOU the vote always goes against the MOU by the members. Every OECTA member should DEMAND that their unit have a membership vote on the MOU, or even better, that O'Dwyer should have a membership wide vote on the MOU immediately. Is he afraid of what the results will be? Provincial allows only pro-MOU articles in the AGENDA now....no anti-MOU anything! Provincial unilaterally broke this union by not allowing members to vote on the MOU. Then a majority of the COP Unit Presidents seals that betrayal with an overall pro-MOU vote. Don't touch my mini-fiefdom! That can never be fixed! Rank and File OECTA members left powerless at the bottom. Great representation. Classic Animal Farm here....All Animals Equal becomes Some Animals More Equal than Others.

Kulture Kult Ink said...

I've posted Thomas Walkom's Toronto Star article on todays blog. Yes! It's a good one! Anybody know of an online link to Orwell's Animal Farm? Should add that too! Thanks!

Anonymous said...

Not only the symbolic OECTA MoU votes taken in a number of units, but also every OSSTF unit whose membership rejects an MoU-lite contract that is 'substantively identical' to OECTA's MoU is a repudiation of OECTA's disgusting capitulation. Teachers are teachers and they know a bad deal when they see one. If it limps like a dog, stinks like a dog, has fleas like a dog - guess what? IT'S A DOG! OECTA leaders: Do not presume to tell us how we feel about your shameful deal given that you DID NOT LET US VOTE ON IT.

Anonymous said...

Since Provincial threw away the OECTA Handbook during the PDT/MOU....maybe they were using Animal Farm as the replacement? No disrespect Mr. Orwell.

Anonymous said...

Anyone notice what's happening here? When votes are allowed in OECTA, OSSTF...the majority of rank and file members are voting against the OECTA MOU/BILL 115! TRUE SOLIDARITY FOREVER! OECTA let your members vote now on the MOU!

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