Opening Statement



Saturday 7 March 2015

Teacher Contracts: OCSTA Initial Proposal!

OCSTA and the Crown: 
Initial Management Proposal to OECTA


March 4 2015: Noel LaPlante [Bargaining Contract Services]

[Highlights mine.]

Note: Public info independently provided courtesy your teacher free speech site!

Eliminate all existing superior provisions from local agreements and replace with central terms. (This provision will negatively impact every collective agreement in the province)

Term, Notice and Renewal •  3 years – September 1, 2014 to August 31, 2017
 
Salary, Wages, Direct Compensation and Benefits •  Salary freeze for 3 years •  Grid movement delayed until 97th day for each year in the term of the agreement

Hiring Practice — REGULATION 274  (any superior local provisions deleted) •  Delete Fair Hiring provisions and practices from all local agreements •  The government has indicated that it is prepared to revoke Regulation 274
  
Diagnostic Assessment - rescind PPM 155 – teacher determined diagnostic assessment  •  Boards shall determine the type and frequency of formal diagnostic assessment tools to be used by Teachers  •  Boards will establish a board-wide mechanism for Teachers to record the diagnostic assessment data to inform the Board and School Improvement Plans and the results will be shared with teachers to inform their teaching practice

Return to the Bargaining Unit •  The Board can place a Principal or a Vice-Principal into a vacant teaching position within the bargaining unit •  He/she returns with full seniority equivalent to all years of service with the Board while he/she was a Union member •  In the event there is no vacancy available, the returning P/VP can be placed into an LTO assignment

Preparation, Planning and Professional Time (PPP) – Elementary Teachers (any superior provisions deleted) •  240 minutes per 5 instructional days (PA Days not considered instructional days for allocating and scheduling PPP time) •  Preparation time can be directed by the principal •  Missed PPP time cannot be ‘banked’ except where a teacher is required by the principal to provide instruction during his/ her scheduled PPP time (rescheduled within 3 months or by the end of the school year) •  PPP to be allocated in minimum 20 minute blocks
   
Preparation, Planning and Professional Time (PPP) – Occasional Teachers  (any superior provisions deleted) •  On the first day of a daily occasional assignment, the OT may be re-assigned by the principal during any scheduled preparation, planning and professional time •  PPP time begins for OTs on the 2nd consecutive day of an assignment
 
System Principals – Letter of Understanding •  Boards can create or maintain Principal and Vice Principal system leadership positions; these positions do not require an assigned school •  No member of the bargaining unit will be declared surplus or redundant as a direct result of these positions •  The government has indicated that it will introduce legislation to allow school boards to create system leadership positions (as above) by not requiring a principal to be assigned to a school
 
Pregnancy Leave SEB Plan (full-time or part-time Teachers or LTOs) •  100% of salary paid for 8 weeks with no deduction from Sick Leave or STLDP (any superior provisions deleted)

Paid Leaves of Absence - Permanent and LTO Teachers only (any superior provisions deleted)

Bereavement Leave (with pay): up to 5 days immediately following the death of a “spouse”, parent or child; up to 3 days immediately following the death of a sibling, mother-in-law, father-in-law, sister-in-law, brother-inlaw, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, grandparent or grandchild; 1 day to attend the funeral of an aunt, uncle or grandparent-in-law
  
All Other Leaves (with pay) at the sole discretion of the Director/designate for up to 5 days per school year with proof. No carryover.  For part-time Teachers - up to 2 days per school year without carryover; for LTOs in assignments longer than 6 months - up to 1 day per school year without carryover •  Attending to matters directly related to the birth or adoption of a Teacher’s child (max. 2 days) •  Writing an examination scheduled during the work day (max. 1 day/exam) •  Attending an IPRC meeting for a Teacher’s child (max. 1 day/meeting/review) •  Attending to emergency circumstances 
Any additional leaves are unpaid and at the discretion of the Director or designate
  
Sick Leave, Short Term Leave and Disability (STLDP) – Permanent Teachers  (any superior provisions deleted)  •  Sick Leave days used only for personal illness, personal injury and personal specialist appointments •  Full time Teachers allocated 11 Sick Leave days at 100% salary in September (pro-rated based on start date and FTE status) •  Full time Teachers allocated 120 STLDP days at 85% (down from 90%) salary in September (pro-rated based on start date and FTE status) •  The school board determines eligibility for access to Sick Leave and STLDP •  When a Teacher is accessing Sick Leave or STLDP from 1 school year to the next for the same reason the Teacher can only access the previous year’s allocation.  No new allocation of Sick Leave or STLDP until the Teacher has completed 20 consecutive working days at regular duties and regular FTE.  If there is a recurrence (even in the next school year) the Teacher is required to start or re-open an LTD or WSIB claim •  If a Teacher has accessed 131 Sick Leave and STLDP days in 1 school year no new allocation of Sick Leave or STLDP will be provided in the subsequent year until the Teacher has worked 20 consecutive days at regular duties and regular FTE 
                
Sick Leave, Short Term Leave and Disability (STLDP) – Permanent Teachers (Continued) •  Teachers, on a graduated return to work may use any Sick Leave or STLDP allocations remaining to ‘top-up’ their work day •  Teachers who have reached maximum medical recovery at less than full-time shall have their FTE reduced proportionally •  Medical confirmation may be required as determined by the Board and on a form prescribed by the Board •  The Board may require an independent medical examination by a qualified medical practitioner of the Board’s choice •  Failure to provide medical confirmation or failure to cooperate with the Board may result in loss of pay

Long Term Disability (LTD)  (any superior provisions deleted) •  All teachers shall pay for LTD (includes current Board paid LTD – London District, Dufferin-Peel and HuronSuperior) •  No changes to the Teacher paid LTD Plan without board and Ministry approval •  Teachers who are absent from work for 30 consecutive work days are required to apply for LTD (premium increase)

Sick Leave/Short Term Disability Plan – Occasional Teachers (any superior provisions deleted) •  LTOs shall be allocated 11 Sick Leave days at 100% of salary (pro-rated for FTE and length of assignment) at the start of a full year assignment •  Sick Leave days may be used for personal illness and injury and personal specialist appointments only •  LTOs completing a full-time, full year assignment shall be allocated 60 STLDP days at 85% of salary at the start of the assignment (pro-rated) •  Sick Leave and STLDP days may only be accessed by LTOs in the year in which the allocation was provided but the days may be carried over from one LTO assignment to another in the same school year •  LTOs on a graduated return to work, may use any Sick Leave or STLDP allocations remaining to ‘top-up’ their salary •  LTOs who have reached maximum medical recovery at less than full-time shall have their FTE reduced proportionally •  Medical confirmation may be required as determined by the Board and on a form prescribed by the Board •  The Board may require an independent medical examination by a qualified medical practitioner of the Board’s choice •  Failure to provide medical confirmation or failure to cooperate with the Board may result in claw-back or loss of pay

WSIB Top-Up (any superior provisions deleted) •  A Teacher on a WSIB approved absence from work due to a work related accident shall receive the equivalent of 85% of gross salary for up to 12 months from the date of injury/ illness (no Sick Leave top-up allowed) •  A Teacher entitled to benefits from the WSIB is not entitled to benefits under a school board's Sick Leave and STLDP  •  A Teacher/LTO receiving WSIB or LTD benefits is not entitled to access Sick Leave/ STLDP for the same condition

Full-Day Kindergarten •  The government has indicated that it intends to change the Regulations such that ECEs do not always have to be in the classroom at the same time as the Teacher 

Dual Credit/E-Learning/Experiential Learning •  Delete all current collective agreement language, local practices, and understandings •  The government has indicated that it will be addressing these items through an unspecified mechanism to be introduced at some time in the future

Structure of Collective Agreement •  The collective agreement shall consist of: Part “A”- central terms and Part “B” – local terms

Central Grievance Process •  Establish a Central Dispute Resolution Committee made up of 3 representatives of the union, 3 employer representatives and up to 3 Crown representatives. The Crown maintains the right to veto any settlement between the OCSTA and OECTA. 

COMMENTS:

23 comments:

Anonymous said...

I am appalled that this offer is worse than the one they imposed on teachers (and the one OECTA accepted) in 2012. There is absolutely zero will to bargain fairly under McWynny's government.

Anonymous said...

Are you really surprised? What were you expecting? You voted them in again after they screwed you the last time. Then again, the PC's would have had you begging for mercy.

Anonymous said...

Its a good thing we live in Canada, not!!! People stop being complacent and vote and get rid of all these right winged self serving people. I include our so called OECTA in that!

Anonymous said...

OECTA and only OECTA is to blame for the years of concessions we will face. The sooner that system is dissolved the better off all teachers will be.

Anonymous said...

Oecta members....pass an AGM motion BANNING all Political Party Donations. Then refund the money back to all Oecta members. Salary cutbacks the last 3 years for Oecta members while OECTA Provincial Staffers get increases. Hope James Ryan is proud of that legacy.

Anonymous said...

Hello David and readers,

The first action of our membership must be a very strong strike mandate. Members need to know that this is absolutely imperative in strengthening our bargaining position.

Please remember, strike vote means there are many actions open to a union with a strong mandate. A strike is only the last of many!

When you get the call - or the email - VOTE TO STRIKE!!

Anonymous said...

If fear that ETFO will be the weak link this time. OECTA for the sake of having any shred of credibility given July 5, 2012 will have to fight. OSSTF to remove the embarrassment and stain left my Ken Coran will have to fight. ETFO until their last bulletin (more than likely guilted into action by OECTA's bulletin and a few outspoken local Presidents) had told their members nothing and have offered no plans appears to be ripe for the picking.

Anonymous said...

OPSEU leads the way in open transparent Bargaining and release of first proposals to all members. Why are teachers alright with such lousy dispersal of information to members. DEMAND TRANSPERANCY in all negotiations.

Anonymous said...

Any chance OECTA joins the public boards for strike action near the end of April?

Anonymous said...

OECTA members are too busy watching and financing the infighting ( incessant legal costs and high salaries) of our secretariat, executive and "bargaining team" to be of any assistance. Sorry maybe next time when this stops. This has been going on for several years and we don't see an end date yet! If we went on strike we wouldn't be able to continue paying for all these worthy causes and charity does begin at home.

Anonymous said...

Bargaining in "good faith" seems to be a thing of the past. Thanks to the OECTA MOU of 2012 teachers are seen as passive dodo's. The government and others' position seems to be "Why even bother to appear civil to them"?

Kulture Kult Ink said...

If we look at the OECTA initial proposal, they are rallying the members to fight for status quo MOU. Oh, and they get a vote on it this time. Tell me whats wrong here .......?!?

Anonymous said...

Looks like more collusion between OECTA and the government!! We are not being served at all by our union and should abolish it asap! Apparently you can disband a union by applying to the Ontario Labour Relations Board. However OECTA has been giving them a lot of business with its internal Provincial power strugges so they may not want to let us disband! I would like to see the union bosses stopped in their tracks from feeding at the union trough at our expense.

Anonymous said...

Look at what is happening with the Police Association. Maybe we need a full forensic investigation at OECTA Provincial to see who has their fingers dipped into the pie! The Police should wear their jackboots too. We are used to that at OECTA!

Anonymous said...

The point about it being bargaining time is well taken but if OECTA has such deep seated and pervasive corruption in its "upper" ranks how can any real bargaining take place at all? It is like hiding your head in the sand and ignoring what is setting the entire scenario and tone for the "bargaining".

Anonymous said...

Pervasive corruption or pervasive Harassment at OECTA Provincial setting a tone of zero dissent allowed and working for the clampdown of the Secretariat?

Anonymous said...

Looks like the secretariat needs more than a clampdown. I would fire them all if they are not obeying directives from a duly elected executive. Lots of teachers would exchange positions and working conditions with the secretariat GLADLY!

Anonymous said...

If the teachers strike do the Oecta union staffers (The Secretariat) still get full pay?

Anonymous said...

These secretariat positions should be for two or three years only and then changed over. This would keep the personnel honest and on their toes (motivated by union member interests). Any teacher can do the job so it should not be an appointed lifetime position!

Anonymous said...

I can see why the MOE likes the Catholic system especially its teachers' union!

Anonymous said...

Interesting observations from a savvy member of the staff at my school during the meeting to inform us about cuts due to the deficit at TCDSB 1) what a "coincidence" that this deficit suddenly happens during bargaining? and 2) why isn't this being discussed with our union who represents us; rather than with teachers directly?

Anonymous said...

The Sooner Teachers realize that OECTA is not really working in the interest of our working conditions and wages, the sooner members should unite to change the system.
The strike vote should not be to not teach but to stop the corruption by OECTA toward its members. How in the world did OCSTA get all the concessions.
A government that stated that NEPOTISM is not fair in bill 274, turns around and rescinds it. TEACHERS WAKE UP. You are getting slapped around and just keep taking it.

Anonymous said...

The comments on this Blog are all very accurate and it really is time to act to change this self absorbed, secretariat. It really is a little fiefdom and all they do is look after each other. Terms are the quickest way to stop corruption and why stop there. People need to stand up for terms for Trustees as well. Especially Chairs of Boards.

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