LTOs and Friday's pay; ETFO Solidarity Signature; Columbia Sportswear Invitation

Message to LTOs about Friday's pay -
The Local had thought we had an agreement with the Board that no more than 2 strike days per pay period would be deducted from LTOs. The Board now tells us that because of the way absences are input for LTOs, this has not been possible and so LTOs will lose pay for 4 strike days this Friday.
This is a great disappointment to us all but it is ultimately out of our control.
Please know that we are doing all we can to get February's strike pay from ETFO Provincial and out to members as quickly as possible. All members should have received payment for the January strike day by the end of this week.  Please contact the Local if yours has not arrived in the mail by then.
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EFFECTIVE Today - 
All ETFO member are asked to affix the ETFO Solidarity signature to their school board signatures per the Phase 6 Strike Protocol.
Download yours at
www.etfocb.ca/phase-6-resources/
Though we will not be fully withdrawing our services this week, ETFO is counting on members to apply continued pressure and show solidarity by sharing the messages and template letters available at buildingbetterschools.ca/ , using the hashtags #CutsHurtKids and #Istrikebecause in your posts and participating in school pickets when you are teaching at a school that day.
For more information please contact us at the OT Office
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Columbia Sportswear Employee Invitation -

It's that time of year again.
TVOT members are invited to shop the Columbia Sportswear Employee Store.  The invitation can be found on the ETFOTVOT website under Member Services - Happy shopping!
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National Day of Action for Education
Friday, February 28th is the Canadian Teachers' Federation sponsored National Day of Action to bring awareness of the threats to public education that are sweeping the country.
Teachers, parents, students and all educators are urged to show support by wearing Red for Ed that day and posting their support with the hashtags #RedforEd and/or #EnsemblePourAgir

Feb. 21st OT Strike Locations; Striking; Strike Pay

Friday, February 21st Picket Locations from 8AM - 11AM -
Whether you are a TVOT Occasional Teacher in an LTO assignment, or one who takes daily calls, these six are your OT designated picket sites for this Friday:
In London - Woodland Heights P.S., John Dearness P.S. or Fairmont P.S.
In St. Thomas - Elgin Court P.S.
In Strathroy - Mary Wright P.S.
In Woodstock - Oliver Stephens P.S. (not Southside)

Your Local Executive acknowledges that some members may want to picket with the permanent Teachers, but we are one of the largest OT Locals in Ontario and administratively, this has proven to be the most effective way to reconcile our OT data and submit it to Provincial ETFO in a timely manner - the first step to getting strike pay to our members. That obligation must supersede individual preferences.
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Striking 
ETFO strike pay is relatively generous but we must keep in mind that this is not "money for nothing". It is the Union that sets the parameters around strike pay: length of shifts, expectations of the line, location of sites, exemptions etc.  Please respect this and keep in mind that picketing is a very public act. Your peers and those in community notice when someone leaves early or flaunts the rules. As Teachers, we must strive to be professional in all that we do, whether in the classroom or on the picket line.
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Strike Pay
Your TVOT Office is rightfully receiving calls from members about when they can expect their strike pay and we wish we had an answer.  The Local has submitted up to date reconciled data to Provincial ETFO for all strike days thus far. The ball is in Provincial's court and we assure you that we will get cheques to TVOT members as soon as possible.
Also be aware that if this is your sixth day of picketing, your strike pay will increases by $25 on Friday. Day #6 is the threshold ETFO Annual Meeting members set when they passed the OT motion determining rates for picket pay.  If you have missed a day or two, you will have to wait until you meet that threshold to be eligible for the increase.

As always, please contact your Local TVOT office at 519-641-3936 if you have any questions.

Winners of "Fun on the Picket Line" Sign Contest

                                      Congratulations!

               $50 each to these TVOT Sign Contest Winners!

Ericka Deakin

Thank you to all those who submitted signs!

We are on Strike and the Sign Contest; What about inclement Weather? Why OT only Sites?

Yes, We Are On Strike
Thank you to the many hundreds of TVOT members who have shown up on the picket line for the two days of full withdrawal.
We recognize that nobody wants this and that strikes come with a cost not only to our members but to their families, but we must do all we can to support ETFO Provincial at the Central Bargaining Table and to pressure the government to properly fund Ontario's well-respected public education system.
You Can Win $50
To help lighten the mood, your Local has decided to award five prizes of $50 each for the best home-made signs worn on the picket line from those submitted from our members to etfotvot@gmail.com. We will select 5 different signs submitted during the week of February 10th for $50 prizes as well.  Please note that all signs become the property of the Local and may be posted on social media.
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What if the Weather is Treacherous?
Once a strike is called, it stands but we do not want members jeopardizing their safety!
If the morning weather makes travel dangerous to an OT Designated Picket site for either the 8 AM shift or for the later 11 AM shift, then email us at the Local - we won't require the formal exemption form for prohibitive weather the morning of a strike.
Those who attend will be paid.
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 OT Designated Sites
Many members have let us know that they are enjoying getting to know their peers at the designated Occasional Teacher Picket sites. Others feel that they would rather be part of the larger group and picket alongside the permanent Teachers. As someone who has given up many weekends to travel to Toronto and rally for education, I understand the thrill of being part of something large.
However, individual preference cannot override the need to ensure that members are paid in a timely manner. Administering and processing the picket information and exemption requests may seem fairly straightforward but it is a monumental task.  Your Staff Administrator, several of our Executive members and myself, have spent hours and hours working into the evening and during our weekends tackling the task. Our registration data from January 22nd when almost a thousand OTs picketed alongside permanent Teachers at just a few sites, is still incomplete and may take weeks to ensure accuracy. Designating sites for Occasional Teachers only, is making this much easier and more accurate.

OT/LTO Picket Locations; TVOT Paid P.D.; Mental Health Awareness;

OT/LTO Picket Locations

Because Occasional Teachers belong to a separate Local, ETFO Provincial requires separate membership reports after each day of picketing.  To assist with this tracking, the following sites have been designated as OT/LTO only picket locations for Tuesday, Feb. 4th and Thursday, Feb. 6th:

LONDON:

• Fairmont Public School
• Woodland Heights Public School
• John Dearness Public School

OXFORD COUNTY:

• Southside Public School in Woodstock
• Hickson Public School

ELGIN COUNTY:

• Elgin Court Public School in St. Thomas

MIDDLESEX COUNTY:

• Mary Wright Public School in Strathroy

LTOs cannot picket with their home schools - All OTs are expected to participate!

Shift 1 begins at 8 a.m. and ends at 11 a.m.

Shift 2 starts at 11 a.m. and ends at 2 p.m.

There is no need to pre-register, just sign in with the Picket Captain at the site and shift you select.

No identification or ETFO membership number is required.

Contact your OT Local at etfotvot@gmail.com or 519-641-3936 for further information.

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Paid PD at the BMO Centre

For those who are registered to attend the paid PD workshops being held after school on January 30th at the BMO Centre, be assured that this event is allowed under ETFO Provincial's Work-to-Rule Protocols and will proceed.

We look forward to seeing you there!

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It Affects Us All

We comment Bell for their work to end the stigma surrounding mental health.

TVOT highly recommends checking out Bell's Toolkit page, for those "who want to create positive change but don't know how" -

letstalk.bell.ca/en/toolkit

TVOT Members Picket Jan 22, 2020

Occasional Teachers take to the Streets!

Thank you to everyone who kindly showed support to all the ETFO Thames Valley Occasional Teachers who picketed this morning in defence of public education and for the 

right to a fairly negotiated Central Agreement.

How wonderful to see your passion and to speak to so many TVOT members.

It is truly a privilege to serve you as Local President. 

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Paid PD under Work to Rule

We have received many questions as to whether or not the PD Sessions that the Local is hosting on January 30th, will proceed in light of Work-To-Rule.

The Local is pleased to confirm that these workshops are in compliance and will go ahead so if you are one of the lucky members who registered while there will still spaces, please do not hold one of these coveted spots if your plans have changed.  Contact Staff Development and inform them that you cannot attend so that they may release your spot to one of those who are waiting.

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What do LTOs do on this Friday's TVDSB PD Day?

Your TVOT Local Collective Agreement is very clear that any member who has reached the 

10th day of replacing the same Teacher in the same assignment "will be paid for the day

and is required to participate ....pro-rated according to the FTE of  the assignment" L20.03

Strike Action and OTs

There comes a time when bold action is needed - this is one of these times.
Prefacing negotiations by stating that ETFO needs to find $15 million dollars in savings, is not bargaining - it is holding Teachers hostage for the sake of a fully funded public education system.
Starting Monday, ETFO Locals will begin full strike action and all ETFO members will be called on to show their support. Daily and Long-Term Occasional Teachers will be called on to picket with their colleagues. Participation is mandatory. Those in non-compliance may be subject to disciplinary action as stipulated in the ETFO Code of Professional Conduct Article 6.1.3: "A member shall support collective bargaining initiatives, including a strike authorized by the Executive."  The penalty for those found not to be in compliance may include a monetary fine of up to $500 per day.
In Thames Valley, members will be apprised of picket locations via the Local's website www.etfotvot.com so now is the time to ensure that you are registered on that site and receiving our blast emails.
Here are answers to a few frequently asked questions:
- How long will I be required to be on picket duty?  3 hours
- Does this picket duty count as a day of work for retired Teachers? Only for those in LTOs
- Is strike pay tax deductable? No it is not taxable income 
- Does a strike interrupt the count towards the 10 day LTO threshold? It has not in the past
- What if I have physical limitations and cannot participate? Contact your Local Office
As always, we remind TVOT members that your OT Local and Provincial ETFO are the only reliable sources of information. Do not trust rumours on Social Media or in the press.
Your OT Office can be reached at 519-641-3936.

Courage is contagious  - Together we are Stronger!

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The Education Minister should invest in public education, not attempt to bribe parents with their own tax dollars.
http://www.etfo.ca/AboutETFO/MediaRoom/MediaReleases/Pages/Education%20Minister%20should%20invest%20in%20public%20education,%20not%20attempt%20to%20bribe%20parents%20with%20their%20own%20tax%20dollars.aspx

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Paid PD Opportunities

Our current Work to Rule situation has forced the cancellation of the Board hosted paid PD opportunities that were to be offered on January 24th.
TVOT members can still participate and be paid for online training as posted in the Employee Portal or register for the paid PD sessions that the Local will host after school on January 30th.

The 3 TVOT workshops being offered that afternoon are:

1) Planning for Success: Integrating Curriculum in your LTO!
2) Brain Breaks in The Mindful Classroom
3) Physical Education and Daily Physical Activities (DPA) for Occasional Teachers

Please register for only 1 (one) workshop.
Since this is a paid PD event, registration for this PD event will be on the TVDSB Employee Portal and NOT on the etfotvot website.

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