September 19, 2014 - Vol. 3
No. 54
Negotiations in K-12 Education
Learning From Past Experience
Negotiations
in
K-12
Education
• Learning
From
Past
Experience - Mira Katz
• Support
for
BC
Teachers
Poured
in
from
Ontario
Teachers
and
Education
Workers
Negotiate Don't
Dictate!
• University
of
Windsor
Faculty
Hold
One
Day
Strike
Take Back the Night
Actions in September
• Women's
Dignity
and
Future
Lie
in
the
Fight
for
the
Rights
of
All!
• Calendar
of
Events
Negotiations in K-12 Education
Learning From Past Experience
- Mira Katz -
As elementary and secondary teachers and education
workers' unions enter negotiations at the provincial level there will
be immense pressure from the government for each union participating to
settle quickly so as to "get the best deal" for their members.
In the last round this pressure was brought to bear on
the Catholic teachers' union by the McGuinty government. The pressure
took the form of demanding
the union submit to the parameters the government wanted to impose on
all teacher unions with the threat -- whether direct or implied -- that
the fate of the Catholic school system hung in the balance; or that
Catholic teachers would be the "last ones at the table" fighting for
scraps. The McGuinty government
deliberately included a "me too" clause in the agreement it made with
Ontario English Catholic Teachers Association (OECTA) so this could be
used to convince the union to sign a deal
without worrying about
being "left out" of any gains that might be achieved by other unions
settling after it. The clause permitted OECTA to cherry pick various
amendments to the
imposed terms that were later obtained by other unions.
Of course once teachers and education workers were clear
that the government was working to violate their rights this scheme
fell apart in the sense that
the government was unable to use it to force the other unions to accept
the parameters. This broad rejection of the government's cynical
attempt to impose
austerity led to the collapse of the McGuinty government and the
necessity for a new leader who could deliver austerity under these
changed circumstances.
The neo-liberal agenda which the Wynne government, like
McGuinty's before it, is basing itself on means removal of funds from
social programs so as
to free up money to use for incentives or to pay the moneylenders. How
to achieve this aim differs based on the resistance of the working
people. The Wynne
government has not given up on this aim; instead it is trying to push
new ways of achieving it. It will use funds to be accumulated through
its new pension
plan to get hold of workers' wages in the name of "helping them save"
for retirement. It is changing regulations to permit workers' pension
funds to be used
to invest in its infrastructure projects, and trying to embroil the
unions as partners in these projects so as to use the funds they
control for the narrow interests
put forward by the monopolies, rather than for nation-building.
In the current round of public sector negotiations the
Wynne government is pursuing this neo-liberal agenda with its assertion
of "no new
money" for compensation unless
unions find ways to cut in other areas or relieve the government of its
social responsiblity to these workers in terms of pensions, retirement
benefits or health
benefits for active workers. This is said to be a more respectful
approach as compared to the dictatorial approach of the McGuinty
government.
Teachers and education workers and their allies should
prepare themselves for the government once again putting pressure on
their unions to get the "best
deal under the circumstances" to cover up that it is once
again dictating austerity parameters that everyone will then be
blackmailed to follow based
on the claim that there is no alternative. In other words, this round
will not be different from the last one in terms of the aim, only in
who might be targeted
and the form the blackmail will take.
Trying to break the unity
of teachers and education
workers in defence of their rights and lull them into thinking that
their security lies in better contract
terms is the main agenda of the Wynne government compared to the open
dictate of the McGuinty government. Having a majority, Wynne hopes that
achieving
this aim is a done deal.
Teachers and education workers stand as one against the
austerity agenda. They are not for self-serving deals which end up
facilitating the violation of the
rights of other workers as they know this only leads to a weakening of
the collective strength of their forces. They also know that whatever
"gains" are achieved
will be taken away in other areas through the imposition of new work
rules, attacks on the most vulnerable and the like, using the
government's ability to
pressure school boards in various ways.
In this respect, ensuring that trustees are elected who
will not submit to the government's attempt to use dictate and
blackmail in contract negotiations will
be important as a back-up to not permit the government to use its
control over boards to dictate austerity at the expense of teachers'
and education workers'
working conditions and public education generally.
Already reports on the ground indicate that boards are
finding ways to try and harass those on short-term disability leave,
an arrangement agreed to by
the unions following the elimination of 14 sick days by the government
using Bill 115. This is similar to the way injured workers are harassed
by the Workplace
Safety and Insurance Board in order to pay off its so-called unfunded
liability resulting from companies not paying enough in premiums to
cover workers'
claims.
The last round of negotiations followed by dictate
proves that it is by affirming their rights in the context of the
rights of all working people that teachers
and education workers are able to activate the human factor and social
consciousness of the entire society to stand with them in defence of
public education
and against violations of workers' rights.
Support for BC Teachers Poured in
from Ontario Teachers
and Education Workers
Members of the BC Teachers' Federation (BCTF) have voted
to ratify the agreement-in-committee reached on Tuesday, September 16,
with the government's bargaining agent, the BC Public School Employers'
Association.
In a province-wide vote conducted on September 18, a total of 31,741
teachers cast ballots and 27,275 voted yes, 86 per cent, the BCTF
informs.
The day before the tentative settlement was reached, there was a
concerted surge in financial support from teachers and education
workers and their unions in Ontario reflecting the spirit that it is
one fight in defence of public education and against dictate. It is
also no coincidence that the surge in donations came as teachers' and
education workers' unions in Ontario began negotiations with the
Liberal majority government here.
On September 15, a wave of donations was announced by
locals of the Ontario English Catholic Teachers Association (OECTA). In
many cases locals donated a loonie or toonie on behalf of each member
(see below).
The fact that these donations come from OECTA locals who were sidelined
when their
provincial body signed an agreement with the Ontario government in the
last round of negotiations which was then used to pressure other
provincial
unions to cave
shows that they are affirming their desire to fight in the coming
round.
Also on September 15, the first strike vote of the
Ontario Secondary School
Teachers' Federation (OSSTF) across the province was
held in the Windsor area by District 9 Greater Essex. At the mass
meeting before the vote a
donation box was set up for
members to donate directly to the BC Teachers' Federation (BCTF).
Members
donated more than $1,800 with many dropping in funds they had collected
from
others who could
not attend the meeting, but wanted to show thier support after
receiving an appeal from their local union.
Donation box at OSSTF District 9 mass meeting
and strike vote, September 15, 2014.
(OSSTF
District
9)
In addition, the staff association of the Elementary
Teachers' Federation of Ontario (ETFO) made up of the union's full-time
staff
announced a donation of $1,600
to the BCTF the same day.
This surge in local donations followed a new round of
donations announced from teacher and education workers' provincial
unions. On September 12, the
Ontario Teachers' Federation (OTF) as well as three of its affiliates
-- ETFO, OECTA and OSSTF -- announced a joint $100,000 donation to the
BCTF
"to assist in their fight with the BC Government."
"Speaking on behalf of 160,000 teachers in Ontario's
public education system, it is an honour to stand in solidarity with
the BC teachers," stated Rian
McLaughlin, OTF President. "Their struggle is our struggle. The BC
teachers have been in this conflict for over ten years and it is time
for the BC Government
to admit their mistakes."
"ETFO members stand behind their teacher colleagues in
British Columbia because they know that their fight for a fair
bargaining process is our fight too,"
added Sam Hammond, ETFO President.
"Ontario's Catholic teachers are proud to stand with the
BC teachers in their struggle with a government which continues to
attack teachers and students,"
stated James Ryan, OECTA President.
"OSSTF members are inspired by the courage and resolve
of our colleagues in British Columbia in the face of their government's
relentless attack on
bargaining rights and on the very future of public education. We are
proud to stand in solidarity with BCTF," said OSSTF President Paul
Elliott.
Donations from Catholic Teachers Association Local
Units
On September 16 it was announced that many OECTA locals
had donated money
to the BC teachers in support of their strike. In a number of cases,
the
amount donated was approximately $1 or $2 per
member.
St. Michael's College School -- $200
Superior North -- $682
Northeastern -- $300
Bruce Grey Secondary and Occasional Units -- $400
Ottawa -- $2,400
Durham Elementary -- $1,000
St. Clair Elementary -- $500
Huron Superior -- $1,000
Nipissing Elementary -- $1 per member
Brant Haldimand Norfolk -- $500
Niagara Elementary -- $1,200
Kenora - $2/member
Algonquin-Lakeshore -- $1 per member
York -- $1 per member
Halton Elementary -- $1,000
Peterborough, Victoria, Northumberland and Clarington --
$900
Toronto Secondary -- $500
Bruce-Grey Elementary -- $300
Negotiate Don't Dictate!
University of Windsor Faculty Hold One-Day Strike
On September 15, Faculty, librarians and ancillary
academic staff at the
University of Windsor held a
one-day strike. The action began with 400 Windsor University Faculty
Association (WUFA)
members on picket lines around the campus and at the downtown
construction site of the new School of Social Work and Centre for
Professional
and Executive Education, and 60 more
participating in other ways. Classes and other academic activities were
cancelled for the day by the university Administration. After imposing
terms and
conditions on WUFA members July 28 and refusing to meet with its
bargaining team on any of the 16 days in August and 10 more in
September they offered for negotiations, the Administration finally
agreed to attend "exploratory talks" with a provincially-appointed
mediator on September 23.
The union is continuing with its plans for
rotating half day strikes in the meantime.
The day of the strike, a spirited noon-hour rally in
front of
Chrysler Tower which houses offices of senior administration was joined
by members of other campus
unions including the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) Locals
1393
representing technicians and skilled trades, and 4580 representing
Graduate and
Teaching Assistants. Supporters from other CUPE locals in the area as
well as Canadian Union of Postal Workers Local 630, Ontario Secondary
School
Teachers' Federation District 9, Greater Essex Elementary Teachers'
Federation of Ontario and Unifor also came with their flags to stand
with the striking faculty
and librarians.
Professor Jeff Noonan, WUFA's VP Internal who emceed the
rally, opened by
acknowledging the many supporters in attendance and made a point of
saying the fight to get
the University to negotiate, not dictate was not just theirs, but the
fight of the public sector as a whole, giving the example of the BC
teachers' fight to force
the government there to stop violating their rights.
Among those who spoke at the rally was Shaun Steven, a
representative of the University of Windsor Students' Alliance (UWSA)
and
student senator. He recounted
students' own recent experience with the dictatorial style of
University President Alan Wildeman in imposing things on them rather
than
negotiating,
saying he took advantage
of problems with the last UWSA election to withhold all funding to
the organization that is supposed to be autonomous. Now
he is acting to reduce students' health and dental benefits without
consulting or negotiating with the UWSA, he said. He said students were
upset and frustrated, concluding however that he
was glad to see everybody come together at the rally. In an interview
with local media about the strike Steven said,
"Some of us are going
to end up working here for the University of Windsor and if we don't
have our rights to bargain for the conditions under which we work in
the future, the line
has to be drawn here."
The President of the Graduate Student Society and a CUPE
member, PhD
student Iftekhar Basith, also brought support, saying a strong strike
mandate is very important in dealing
with the Administration. He said the Faculty Association had been
willing to accommodate graduate students scheduled to defend their
theses during the strike
by giving picket passes to faculty so they could participate in that
activity, but the university just went ahead and cancelled them anyway
if they fell on
strike days, making it look like faculty were to blame for any
disruptions.
CUPE 1393 President Dean Roy, whose local went through
a month-long strike at the university a year ago, said to loud cheers
that it is the faculty, staff
and students who make up the university, not Administration and
called on them to stop hiking tuition fees and to negotiate with WUFA.
Bernie Nawrocki, President of Ontario Public Service
Employees' Union Local 138 representing St. Clair College faculty was
another speaker. He told the
crowd he was glad to see WUFA had 81 per cent support for its strike
and
encouraged them to keep up their stand, that management had no right to
dictate
and must
negotiate with them.
Others who spoke were WUFA member and activist Fran
Cachon and Brent Patrick Taylor from CUPE 4580. Both
emphasized the importance of everyone standing strong together in the
face of the Administration's unacceptable attempts to get its way
through bullying and
dictate.
WUFA President Anne Forrest was the last speaker.
Referring to University President Wildeman's remarks in the media
that he did not know what
the union wanted, she asked how that could be possible and proceeded to
tell him publicly, spelling out to loud cheers and applause: "Bargain
with our union.
Stop trying to go over the union by sending
letters to individual members; it is the negotiating team that is
empowered to make a collective agreement. Treat us
like adults and colleagues. Do not threaten us. Learn how collective
bargaining works -- it is not your way that is the only way forward for
the
University of Windsor."
Forrest also denounced the Administration's lack of
interest in making arrangements as WUFA proposed to ensure that certain
student activities
outside of regular classes such
as thesis defenses, social work field placements, Psychological
Services graduate student training, University Players' rehearsals and
volleyball and football
practices continue during the strike. All these activities were
cancelled by Administration for times when faculty engage in strike
activity.
Professor Noonan closed the rally saying the first day
of strike activity was a great success with large participation by
Faculty Association members. He called on everyone, including community
members
to attend a picket outside the University Board of Governors meeting
being held September 23, the same day exploratory talks have been
scheduled.
"Let them know they, not the President,
are the ultimate authority, and that we all demand changes in the way
everyone -- grad
students, students, faculty -- are being treated," he said.
Take Back the Night Actions in September
Women's Dignity and Future
Lie in the Fight for the
Rights of All!
In the month of September women and their organizations
across Ontario are taking to the streets and participating in other
events to affirm their right to
be and to live in safety and security in their communities. Actions are
also taking place across Canada and around the world.
Take Back the Night signifies from its inception the
fight for the freedom of movement. The marches held in the evenings are
a way to protest the violence
that women experience while walking in public at night and to raise
community awareness as a preventative measure against future violence.
The austerity agenda which is being imposed on society
by the ruling circles and governments in their service nationally and
internationally hits women
and the most vulnerable the hardest and is creating anarchy and
violence in society as it smashes all the institutions which society
has given rise to in order
to uphold the public interest. Public education, health care, child
care and the workers who provide these services, of which women make up
the majority, are
being made the target of governments' attacks in the name of reducing
debts and deficits and even in the name of putting "children,"
"students" or "patients"
first.
At the same time public institutions, instead of being
strengthened to assist the most vulnerable, are used to attack them and
justify throwing people into
the streets to fend for themselves, such as is the case with the
attacks
on injured workers. While public right is trampled in the mud, monopoly
right is
affirmed by governments that operate in their service, misappropriating
funds from
public services to pay the rich.
Whether locally, nationally or internationally it is
women who are in the front ranks of the fight against dictate and for
the rights of all in society. Ontario Political Forum calls
on women and their organizations to go all out to join this year's
marches, rallies and events to make them a success
in smashing the medieval notion that violence against women and the
attacks on the most vulnerable are something which
governments can choose
whether or not to "deal with." Governments must be forced to uphold
public right, not monopoly right.
Calendar of Events.
Saturday,
September
20
Toronto
Community Fair &
Dinner -- 4:30 pm
Rally -- 6:30
pm
March -- 8:30 pm
519 Church St.
For
Information: www.takebackthenighttoronto.com
Tuesday,
September
23
Timmins
Rally -- 6:30 pm
March -- 7:00 pm
Timmins and Area
Women in Crisis, 355 Wilson Ave.
Wednesday, September 24
Iroquois Falls
Rally -- 6:30 pm
March -- 7:00 pm
Jus Jordan Arena
Thursday, September
25, 2014
Guelph
6:30
pm
For
Information: 519-836-1110 ext.
234,
wiceducator@gwwomenincrisis.org
Kitchener-Waterloo
6:00 pm
Kitchener
City Hall, 200 King St. West
Cochrane
Rally -- 6:30 pm
March -- 7:00 pm
Followed by
refreshments
Corner of 4th
Street and 4th Ave.
Carleton Place
6:30-8:00 pm
Town Hall
Sudbury
6:00-9:00 pm
Sudbury Secondary
School, 154 College St.
Saturday,
September
27
Windsor
March and Rally -- 7:00 pm
Dieppe Park - Ouellette and
Riverside
Gather at The Foundry Pub for speakers after the march
495 Ouellette Ave.
For Information:Facebook
Thursday October 2, 2014
Barrie
6:00
pm
Rotunda on Collier
Street
Wednesday, October 8
Ottawa
Rally -- 6:00 pm
March -- 6:45 pm
Info Fair -- 8:15 pm
Minto
Park,
Elgin
St. and Gilmour St.
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