TVOT's new "Daily OT Handbook" is an excellent resource for all members.
Here are just a few of the topics and links:
- Highlights of TVDSB policies on communicable diseases including Fifth Disease, conjunctivitis/pink eye, and head lice
- TVDSB policies regarding copyrights, footwear, technology, disconnecting from work, harassment and discrimination
- Info about Brightspace, Brightspace Classroom and Brightspace Staff Learning Hub (where the PD reflection survey is found)
- Links to all the above and other resources such as accessing Outlook from outside of Canada, completing an Employee Incident Reporting and Investigation form, how to register for TVARRIS texts and much, much more.
Go to www.etfotvot.com and check it out.
Be sure to open members' account as well so that you have access to our $75 Resource Rebate and our Professional Learning Development Fund worth up to $685 per year.
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Smaller Classes Matter!
We all want the best start for our children but class sizes are too big in Ontario schools and students are paying the price with unmet needs.
The TVOT Local urges members who may become pregnant to check in advance to see if they have immunity to Fifth Disease as women in the first half of their pregnancy are most vulnerable to complications if they become infected.
Schools with outbreaks will post notices at the school and on TVARRIS but the disease is contagious well before the symptoms become apparent. In TVDSB, employee absences due to an outbreak of Fifth Disease are deducted from your sick leave entitlement.
For more information about the TVDSB policy related to Fifth Disease go to http://www.tvdsb.ca/files/filesystem/FifthDiseaseIP.pdf
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The Alberta government has used the "notwithstanding" clause to override Charter rights and legislate Teachers in that province back to work.
"Teachers are being forced back and saddled with the very collective agreement that 90% of them rejected only a month ago - an agreement they said, loudly and clearly, does not meet the needs of their students, their classrooms or their profession." - Jason Schilling, President of the Alberta Teachers' Association (ATA)
Because this is a fight similar to the Ontario situation we face in 2022, your TVOT Local donated $1,000 to assist the ATA during their recent strike.
The Canadian Labour Congress urges all of us to stand with Albertans and defend the rights that protect workers throughout our nation. Sign the petition and tell Danielle Smith's government to stop attacking workers' rights and freedoms now! Sign here www.workerstogether.ca/alberta-workers/ and share the link with your networks.
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There are a variety of reasons that an OT can be called to meet with someone from HR but know that your Local will always provide representation at these meetings.
For instance:
- HR follows up on concerns brought to their attention by a school. It is HR's responsibility to identify if someone is having difficulty across the system or just at one site. This doesn't mean that the matter has escalated but a school Principal only knows what goes on at their school and cannot provide system oversight.
- Before TVDSB had TVARRIS, if a Principal no longer wanted an Occasional Teacher at the school (for any reason), they would simply direct the staff not to call that OT again and the OT would wonder why they were never called back. With the switch to an automated system which defaults to random calls, if an Administrator wants to ensure that a certain OT doesn’t return, the Principal must ask Human Resources to block that person from receiving TVARRIS calls from their site and submit rationale. Since notice now comes to the attention of HR, the Local has argued that members have a right to know that such a request has been made so that they have an opportunity to provide their perspective.
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TVARRIS BLOCKS -If a TVARRIS block is put in place, then any Teacher from that school trying to pre-book the OT will find that the OT is “not available”. Such requests to block typically do not go into the OT’s personnel file nor do they result in any discipline. However if the OT becomes blocked from a growing list of schools, then progressive discipline may commence.
Ultimately, most members see the wisdom in not returning to a school where Administration has lost confidence in them - there are so many other opportunities in TVDSB.
As always, please contact your OT Local for further guidance at the first sign of difficulty. We are here to support you at 519-641-3936 or etfotvot@gmail.com
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- Part of a Year Leaves: Daily TVOT members can request a leave of absence at any time, however the number of days they are required to teach would be pro-rated to 1 day per each month they were active on the elementary list that school year.
Contact your TVOT Local for further details at 519-641-3936 or etfotvot@gmail.com
