Bargaining Impasse in Ontario K-12 Education
Teachers Discuss Union Proposal to Use Voluntary Binding Arbitration
Discussion has begun on the agreement between the Ontario Secondary School Teachers' Federation (OSSTF) provincial executive, endorsed by a majority of the district presidents and chief negotiators, and the Ford government in Ontario to resolve the government-imposed impasse in bargaining through voluntary binding interest arbitration (VBIA). Voting on the proposal is open for all members of OSSTF who are employed by school boards The OSSTF said it will be a one member one vote process with no separate voting for teachers and support staff. The threshold for passage of the vote is not currently known.
On September 7 a province-wide town hall meeting was hosted by OSSTF's provincial executive to present their rationale for what they are proposing and to hear questions from members. More than 2,000 members logged on to participate despite it being the first week of school when most teachers and education workers are in the midst of all it takes to get classes up and running and relating to new students. More virtual and in-person town hall meetings continue to be held by the provincial executive during the month of September. On September 12, the Ontario Education Workers United held a virtual forum entitled "The Dangers of Binding Interest Arbitration" in which a former OSSTF local president and past provincial president spoke about their concerns over the proposal. Various Facebook groups have also been established for discussion by all those concerned. That so many are participating in the discussion provincially and in their own workplaces shows members want to know what the arguments are so that they can have informed discussion with their colleagues and cast an informed vote. This is a good sign as whatever way the vote goes, the open discussion to sort out a way forward is what will permit all teachers and education workers irrespective of the unions they are members of to determine what will favour them, their working conditions and students' learning conditions.
This article was published in
Number 51 - September 17, 2023
Article Link:
https://cpcml.ca/WF2023/Articles/WO10511.HTM
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