Opening Statement



Thursday 18 April 2013

OSSTF Votes Yes by 84%!


See January 13 for my Acronym list! Regularly updated all affiliate teacher news links on other stories continue to be posted @ April News Digest 2

OSSTF members vote by 84% to accept the deal struck by their leadership with the MOE. President Ken Coran speaks of "democratic rights" and about seeking "creative solutions" within government "fiscal perimeters"! Read @ Yes Vote!


Red roses or black?
 
 OSSTF joins OECTA, AEFO + CUPE in endorsing deals with changes to the Liberal provincial government terms mandated in last years PDT talks. Bill 115 imposed the terms upon OSSTF + ETFO on Dec.31st. Each union to date claims to have negotiated changes which will help their members, except ETFO whose talks remain ongoing. OSSTF, in their press release above, notes the government has committed itself to work "collaboratively" with the teacher union to;

... ensure a fair, transparent + democratic process" is in place for the next round of collective bargaining."

[President Ken Coran April 18/ 2013]


Listen Ken I'm serious, you better nail this one!

OECTA was the only teacher affiliate whose members did not get to vote upon the MOU agreement that was reached with the MOE on July 5th 2012. Rather it was ratified by the Provincial Executive. Much controversy followed the move both within + outside of OECTA.

Voting ended at 4pm today with results released at 7pm. OSSTF President Ken Coran guessed it wouldn't be a 100% yes vote. MOE Liz Sandals had been waiting with bated breath. See @ The Wait

Here is the MOE's media release @ MOE

See the Toronto Star report @ Toronto Star

Then read the CBC report @ CBC

The Ottawa Citizen includes some local comments from the school board + MOE officials @ Ottawa

Premier Wynne's Liberal government will get the credit for labour peace. The PC's will be further encouraged to go on the attack. Will both see the ratification as union weakness?


Liz: Ha! Gotcha!

YOU CAN COMMENT BELOW:

17 comments:

Anonymous said...

consider it confirmed :(

Anonymous said...

IMHO, this 'agreement' by OSSTF was about enrollment, and by extension, it's members jobs. As the EC pause continued, it is probable that more and more students would consider jumping ship to Catholic schools. OSSTF leadership, imho, saw the writing on the wall and cut a deal. None of this bodes well for solidarity in the education sector. I sense that we are about to enter a brave new world where the affiliates are in conflict with each other as much as the government. I think OECTA will have no one but themselves to blame when the 'one-system' drum beats louder from within the next time savings are required from the education sector.

Anonymous said...

this was not democratic. we were told that gov't would not come back to the table if we said no. our own PE told members to go back to ECs so we had no leverage. failed strategy all around. won't issue numbers of votes cast. low voting rate symptom of apathy and lack of voice. Who cares when your leadership shows no fight and makes important decisions without input from members. they are politicians too. Just wish they and all the secretariat would have to live by the rules of this crappy deal.

Anonymous said...

I am reminded of the saying, "you are only as good as your last sale." I'd like Hudak to throw these union bums out for lack of productivity. Times have changed. Solidarity is a myth. Survival of the fittest is the norm. Right to work please.

Anonymous said...

Very dissapointed in the strong Yes vote ... however it was expected as union leadership gave up the fight and the liberal media backed them. If we win the court challenge re: Bill 115 it will and empy victory as all possible remedies have been errased by the yes vote. Paid over 1600 dollars in union dues last year .... feel very ripped off ...

Anonymous said...

If teachers remain divided we will always be conquered. July 5th, 2012 was a betrayal to ALL teachers. What is OECTA's top priority? That sound you all hear is that drum beat getting louder and louder....

Anonymous said...

And it all comes down to ETFO.

Anonymous said...

I think some of the parties need some information. Before July 5th the OSSTF submitted plans to the government for how to save money which included one public system. So the OECTA MoU is just a red herring. Both OSSTF and ETFO have actively and behind the scenes supported one school system for years. Why is that okay from our union sisters and brothers?

Anonymous said...

The OECTA MoU is what was imposed on ALL teachers. Once Broten had that she never let go. She even imposed the OECTA MoU on the school boards, against OCSTA's wishes. To try and divert attention from that fact is the red herring. I sincerely hope OECTA starts working in concert with our colleagues in the public system but the latest track record does not bode well for the future.

Anonymous said...

The problems began with the OECTA betrayal, too much political support fot the Liberals, not enough NDP.

Should have directly threatened the Liberal in a news conference, that many Kitchener Waterloo fiascos are in the future withoout a U tern.

Anonymous said...

Hats off to OSSTF! At least OSSTF has member interests in mind and represented democratically in a vote when you make an agreement! Plus OECTA Provincial's Executive had already set the bar abysmally low in its MOU of July 5 2012 (Bill 115) and you thus had very little to work with! You did great!

Anonymous said...

United we stand. Divided (separate) we fall.
Politicians of all stripes see teacher division and OECTA's betrayal as union weakness, David.
Talk of "solidarity" on this blog site rings a little hollow.

Kulture Kult Ink said...

Please see header at top of blogsite. This is an independent all affiliate teacher site, not an OECTA one. I do not support collaboration with contract stripping and arbitrary changes to the OLRB by any of the unions. However I do represent all points of view here. I seek solidarity with the site for these reasons.

Anonymous said...

OSSTF had very little room for significant bargaining success since the OECTA Executive had set the benchmark abysmally low on July 5 2012(in its hated Dictators' MOU that subsequently transformed into Ontario Dictators' Bill 115).At least OSSTF had a proper ratification vote by all members on its agreement and OSSTF obviously had its member interests at heart! Hats off to OSSTF for holding out for so long before caving....

Anonymous said...

The bottom line is OECTA has destroyed decades of labour gains for teachers. If they would have stuck together with the other unions, at worst it would have been a two year wage freeze with the gratuity being grandfathered out. What a shame! Does OECTA really get any of the concessions negotiated by OSSTF? If they do it will go off as the biggest scam of all time. OECTA rolls after a threat, looks like the saviour to the general public, and gets the better deal in the end. I hope that becomes the front page story in the press.

Anonymous said...

OSSTF has now betrayed ETFO.

Anonymous said...

How so? You can go into the next round of negotiations with a the current OECTA deal or the better OSSTF deal. I agree that it is hard to swallow however put the blame where it belongs, OECTA. The court case will determine our future bargaining position and to be honest, I don't like our odds.

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