Today ETFO President Sam Hammond updated the media on the ongoing talks with the MOE. The discussions have been respectful and continues to move forward. However no agreement has been reached yet. There wasn't a media release but the following letter was posted for the ETFO members on it's public website last night. Here is the text of the letter:
Update: Discussions Between ETFO and Government Achieve Concrete Results
April 3, 2013
Sick Leave
There will be no adjudication as set out in Regulation. With respect to the determination of eligibility for sick leave, collective agreement provisions and practices in effect at August 31, 2012, continue.
References to 66 2/3% in Regulation and in the sick leave plan will be removed. Use of sick days as per 2008 Collective Agreement and practice. Extended LTD waiting period beyond 120 days will be covered.
Gratuity
Increase to compensation to non-vested members for unused sick days.
Workload study
A study to review current and planned educational initiatives and student assessment at the provincial and school board level with a view to clearly focusing such initiatives and assessments on student achievement, teacher workload, and teacher professionalism.
Job security
Job security clause for non-teacher members.
Voluntary / Extra-Curricular Activities
ETFO will notify members that any advice to withdraw participation in voluntary / extra-curricular activities is suspended. [ed This was done by ETFO last week when it lifted it's EC advisory.]Any decision to participate in voluntary / extra-curricular activities is at the discretion of the member.
These understandings were discussed with ETFO local presidents at a meeting in Toronto earlier today.
Based on the success of our meetings to date, as well as the good faith demonstrated by the government throughout these discussions, we are confident that ongoing dialogue will result in a full agreement being reached.
It is important to emphasize that an all-member vote will be conducted upon conclusion of any agreement reached with the government. ETFO is a democratic organization and, as such, it is ETFO members who will determine whether an agreement reached with the provincial government is acceptable.
[Ed: Please note that the highlights are my own. The original letter can be found @ ETFO site]
COMMENTARY:
During the announcement Sam made it clear that the Presidents Council had met this morning, and would now be sharing the information with the members. The purpose is for transparency, to share some concrete information with them from the ongoing talks. I believe this is his first public statement since the accord was announced. That is in keeping with ETFO's stated news black out while the talks are in progress while also, in my opinion, offering some actually interesting information so as to be accountable to the members.
As of this week the OECTA MOU adjudication process is to be in place for the Catholic school boards. Now ETFO will not be participating. With the ETFO sick leaves there will be no requirement for a third party adjudicator. Instead the process will be the same as it was in the 2008 Collective Agreements, and involve the local school boards. Also the reference to 66 2/3 % pay in the MOU regulation will be removed from their new sick leave plan. Qualifying members will receive the 120 days at 90%. I enquired further and was told that the savings from not implementing the new adjudication process will cover the cost of the straight 90 percent sick day payments, with no additional cost to the government.
IMHO, a third party adjudication process is desirable with our Catholic school boards because there are often many disputes and inconsistencies with how the absences are dealt with. The same applies with the return to work accommodations at the local level. From my discussions today, I got the sense that this is not an important issue for the ETFO members with the public school boards. At any rate, the straight 90% rate will certainly simply the complex adjudication system our OECTA teachers will find ourselves in, with the existing MOU regulation.
The addition of a workload survey is very interesting. Wouldn't it be great and make a whole lot of sense if the MOE needs to carefully consider the teacher workload issues resulting from it's nonstop stream of programming and student assessment initiatives in the schools? IMHO it's long overdue. Whew! ETFO definitely scored on this one!
You will note there will be an unspecified increase in the compensation to non vested members for their unused sick days. See my blog on the MOE leak seemingly confirming a new 25% rate in the OSSTF agreement.
I am not knowledgeable about the maternity benefits in the MOU regulations verses those in the ETFO discussion, but perhaps somebody can fill us in?
The media questions were disappointing. I was surprised by the lack of understanding of how negotiations are carried out. Indeed some of the reporters seemed quite miffed by the news black out and didn't think it was fair for the public at large. Then there were the usual "suffer unto the little children" arguments about members not volunteering their spare time for EC's. The reporter wanted to know if this was worth what the children have been put through and denied? There were wide gaps in understanding a frightful number of issues, but I guess we knew that all ready.
It is true that the details for each key issue are ambiguous and open to interpretation. However President Hammond was able to show some concrete examples of which direction the talks are going for his members during the otherwise necessary news blackout in place for the ongoing talks. A reporter was upset that there was no new information to report. Far from it! An informed reader can start to interpret what this all could suggest or mean, and of course, after all is said and done, it will be the ETFO members who will reject or ratify the deal once it is reached.
COMMENT BELOW:
Update: Discussions Between ETFO and Government Achieve Concrete Results
April 3, 2013
Last Tuesday, ETFO suspended the advice regarding participation in voluntary/extracurricular activities by members based on confidence that ongoing dialogue with the government and representatives from school boards would achieve concrete results on issues of concern to members.
All discussions with government have been focused on finding solutions that can be achieved without new money and within the Ministry’s funding envelope. ETFO is pleased to report that, while the details have yet to be finalized, understandings have been reached regarding the following issues:
Maternity Leave
All discussions with government have been focused on finding solutions that can be achieved without new money and within the Ministry’s funding envelope. ETFO is pleased to report that, while the details have yet to be finalized, understandings have been reached regarding the following issues:
Maternity Leave
Eligibility for teachers, LTOs and full-time non-teaching members.
Improvement of benefit – 100% salary for 8 weeks, less EI benefits.
Receipt of benefit over the calendar year – 12 month period.
June 1, 2013 implementation. Superior benefits protected.
June 1, 2013 implementation. Superior benefits protected.
Sick Leave
There will be no adjudication as set out in Regulation. With respect to the determination of eligibility for sick leave, collective agreement provisions and practices in effect at August 31, 2012, continue.
References to 66 2/3% in Regulation and in the sick leave plan will be removed. Use of sick days as per 2008 Collective Agreement and practice. Extended LTD waiting period beyond 120 days will be covered.
Gratuity
Increase to compensation to non-vested members for unused sick days.
Workload study
A study to review current and planned educational initiatives and student assessment at the provincial and school board level with a view to clearly focusing such initiatives and assessments on student achievement, teacher workload, and teacher professionalism.
Job security
Job security clause for non-teacher members.
Voluntary / Extra-Curricular Activities
ETFO will notify members that any advice to withdraw participation in voluntary / extra-curricular activities is suspended. [ed This was done by ETFO last week when it lifted it's EC advisory.]Any decision to participate in voluntary / extra-curricular activities is at the discretion of the member.
These understandings were discussed with ETFO local presidents at a meeting in Toronto earlier today.
Based on the success of our meetings to date, as well as the good faith demonstrated by the government throughout these discussions, we are confident that ongoing dialogue will result in a full agreement being reached.
It is important to emphasize that an all-member vote will be conducted upon conclusion of any agreement reached with the government. ETFO is a democratic organization and, as such, it is ETFO members who will determine whether an agreement reached with the provincial government is acceptable.
[Ed: Please note that the highlights are my own. The original letter can be found @ ETFO site]
COMMENTARY:
During the announcement Sam made it clear that the Presidents Council had met this morning, and would now be sharing the information with the members. The purpose is for transparency, to share some concrete information with them from the ongoing talks. I believe this is his first public statement since the accord was announced. That is in keeping with ETFO's stated news black out while the talks are in progress while also, in my opinion, offering some actually interesting information so as to be accountable to the members.
As of this week the OECTA MOU adjudication process is to be in place for the Catholic school boards. Now ETFO will not be participating. With the ETFO sick leaves there will be no requirement for a third party adjudicator. Instead the process will be the same as it was in the 2008 Collective Agreements, and involve the local school boards. Also the reference to 66 2/3 % pay in the MOU regulation will be removed from their new sick leave plan. Qualifying members will receive the 120 days at 90%. I enquired further and was told that the savings from not implementing the new adjudication process will cover the cost of the straight 90 percent sick day payments, with no additional cost to the government.
IMHO, a third party adjudication process is desirable with our Catholic school boards because there are often many disputes and inconsistencies with how the absences are dealt with. The same applies with the return to work accommodations at the local level. From my discussions today, I got the sense that this is not an important issue for the ETFO members with the public school boards. At any rate, the straight 90% rate will certainly simply the complex adjudication system our OECTA teachers will find ourselves in, with the existing MOU regulation.
The addition of a workload survey is very interesting. Wouldn't it be great and make a whole lot of sense if the MOE needs to carefully consider the teacher workload issues resulting from it's nonstop stream of programming and student assessment initiatives in the schools? IMHO it's long overdue. Whew! ETFO definitely scored on this one!
You will note there will be an unspecified increase in the compensation to non vested members for their unused sick days. See my blog on the MOE leak seemingly confirming a new 25% rate in the OSSTF agreement.
I am not knowledgeable about the maternity benefits in the MOU regulations verses those in the ETFO discussion, but perhaps somebody can fill us in?
The media questions were disappointing. I was surprised by the lack of understanding of how negotiations are carried out. Indeed some of the reporters seemed quite miffed by the news black out and didn't think it was fair for the public at large. Then there were the usual "suffer unto the little children" arguments about members not volunteering their spare time for EC's. The reporter wanted to know if this was worth what the children have been put through and denied? There were wide gaps in understanding a frightful number of issues, but I guess we knew that all ready.
It is true that the details for each key issue are ambiguous and open to interpretation. However President Hammond was able to show some concrete examples of which direction the talks are going for his members during the otherwise necessary news blackout in place for the ongoing talks. A reporter was upset that there was no new information to report. Far from it! An informed reader can start to interpret what this all could suggest or mean, and of course, after all is said and done, it will be the ETFO members who will reject or ratify the deal once it is reached.
COMMENT BELOW:
5 comments:
Hi David,
As a teacher who lost 250 sick days...over a 15 year career who didn't abuse the sick days...I still feel that I was robbed .(Can you say Cyprus bank?) If I go back to e.c. I have to do less than before.... What do you think?
A Cyprus bank indeed! Have you considered using dedicating your volunteer hours to the union instead of EC's? There is always important committee work, Political Action has always been a favourite of mine, or even taking an eventual run at office? I'm not sure your affiliate, but even if you don't like what they are doing/ have done, change can come from within ... it just takes time, and thats what you are considering, right?
Concrete solutions require concrete examples and clear language so ALL can understand it
non-vested ??
stolen sick days ??
unpaid days ?
a ruling or concrete statement about EC's how they are deliverd and paid for would help with a return to some activities
Maternity benefits good for sum but what about the other 75% of the union's members??
If our last collective agreement isn't being used as a starting point and we have imposed contracts then shouldn't ALL teachers osstf and etfo be the same like our nurses, doctors policemen etc ??
ETFO and OSSTF = Total. Union. Climb down. Till the end of days government will know that we are weak and can be slapped and paid off with our own stolen contract dollars.
If we accept the 25 cents on the dollar as reported in the Goldman and Mail, we sell out ! I suggest that ETFO takes the Gov't to court over the stolen sick days. They were earned fairly and the government knows this, other wise why pay us for them. Shame on our corrupt policitians!
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