Important Meeting re Bargaining Tuesday, May 7; Changes to accessing your TVDSB accounts; Local Spring Annual Meeting and Banquet May 23; Constitutional Amendments; ETFO Salary Arbitration

 

Very Important !

TVOT Members are urged to save Tuesday, May 7, 2024 for a 4:30 PM meeting regarding our Local's negotiations with TVDSB. A vote will take place and those who attend will make the decision for all TVOT members. This meeting will take place at the BMO Center in London and dinner will be served to those who register. To register, contact the Local office at 519-641-3936 or by email at mail@etfotvot.com.

An update will be sent by the end of this week, via blast email to those who are registered on our TVOT Local website www.etfotvot.com .

TVDSB has announced that all employees must change their passwords between May 1 and May 15/24. Going forward, all staff will need to authenticate using Multifactor Authentication/MFA when accessing their TVDSB account from non-Board site. Members are urged to check their Outlook accounts for more details.

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Proposed “Housekeeping” Changes to TVOT Constitution to be presented to membership at Annual Meeting and voted en bloc (as a block)

Proposed changes are underlined (rationale is in italics and will not be part of revised Constitution)

2.2 The jurisdiction of the Thames Valley Occasional Teachers' Local shall be all Occasional Teachers' in the elementary panel covered by the ETFO Thames Valley Occasional Teachers' Collective Agreement. (apostrophe to show possessive plural of Teachers.)

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ARTICLE IV – MEMBERSHIP (change numbering to one decimal place)

4.1       Active members shall be all members within the jurisdiction of the Local who are in good standing with the Ontario College of Teachers and with the Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario.

4.2     Honourary memberships may be granted by majority vote of the current Executive to former members of the Local Executive who have demonstrated outstanding service to the Local, the community, or to education.

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5.3  The rights of an honourary member shall be: (drop “and” at the end of bullet b)

a)            to attend Local functions in a non-voting capacity;

b)            to receive Local publications upon request;

c)            to serve by invitation of the majority of the Executive on Local task forces, committees or work groups.

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(Correct the numbering and add missing semi-colons; insert missing numeral in (j))

6.1.1    The Local Executive shall include the following positions:

a)            President, which shall be a full-time release position;

b)            First Vice President;

c)         Second Vice President;

d)         Secretary;

e)         Treasurer;

f)          Chief Negotiator;

g)         Health and Safety Officer;

h)         any member of the Local who is elected as a Provincial Executive Officer as ex-officio;

i)          nonvoting member from the other ETFO Local whose members are employed by the Board;

j)          a maximum of four (4) Executive members at large.

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6.1.2    The Executive of the Local shall be elected at the Local Annual Meeting.(insert Local)

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(Pluralize “term” to “terms”)

6.1.3    a)  The term of office for the President shall be for two (2) years. Effective July 1, 2024, the terms of office for the President, First Vice President, Second Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, Chief Negotiator and Health and Safety Officer shall be for two (2) years.

b)  The term of office for Executive Members at large shall be for one (1) year.

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(remove comma after “total”)

6.1.5   Any Executive member who is absent for two (2) consecutive Executive meetings or three (3) Executive / General Membership meetings in total may be replaced by motion of Executive.

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(in (c) insert missing numeral; remove comma between First Vice President and Second in (d))

6.1.6    Vacancies on the Local Executive shall be filled in the following manner:

a)         A vacancy at the position of President shall be filled by the First Vice President;

b)         A vacancy at the position of First Vice President shall be filled by the Second Vice President;

c)         A vacancy at the position of Second Vice President shall be filled by one (1) of the Executive Members as appointed by the Executive;

d)         In the event a vacancy for the position of President, First Vice President or Second Vice President cannot be filled by the above process, interim positions shall continue and the Executive shall call a General Meeting for a by-election within two (2) months.

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6.2.2     Other ad hoc committees required to carry out the work of the Local may be established by the Executive or by general meeting(s) as necessary. (remove “the” before “general meeting(s)”)

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Duties of the Executive….

7.1.7    forward to the ETFO Provincial office by September 30 of each year the annual audited financial statement; (insert ETFO and capitalize Provincial for clarification)

7.1.8    appoint and develop terms of reference for ad hoc committees;

7.1.9    ensure a minimum of three (3) signing officers of the Local; (remove “to” from begininning)

7.1.10  elect when necessary a successor to complete any unexpired term of a Local representative or to fill any vacancies;

7.1.11  recommend the appointment of the auditors to the Annual Meeting;

7.1.12  develop an investment policy;

7.1.13  hire a bookkeeper to an annual contract;

7.1.14  oversee Outreach activities and approve all charitable donations by the Local; (NEW)

7.1.15  assign other duties to the President as needed.(renumbered)

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7.2.2    The duties of the First Vice President shall be:

a)            to assume the role of the President in the President’s absence as outlined in Article 7, Section 2;

b)            to assist the President with presidential duties of the Local; (remove capital)

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7.2.3    The duties of the Second Vice President shall be:

c)            to assume the role of the President in the absence of the President and First Vice President, as outlined in Article 7, Section 2; (reword for clarity)

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7.2.6 f) (i)   to present a draft of the proposed preliminary submission to the Local Executive for approval; (change colon to semi-colon)

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7.3.4    The Collective Bargaining Committee shall:

         g)   ensure that any preliminary submission and Collective Agreement …(requires capitals)

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8.3.2    The Annual Meeting shall:

a)  receive the annual reports of the Officers and Committees of the Local;

b)  elect:   - a President: Articles 6.1.3 and 7.2.1

    - Vice Presidents: Articles 7.2.2 and 7.2.3 (remove brackets)

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8.4.1    There shall be at least two (2) General Meetings annually, one (1) of which shall be held in the Fall and the Local Annual Meeting, held between January 1 and May 31. (insert numeral)

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9.2.7    The Returning Officer shall be the Office Administrator, or the Executive shall appoint a person not currently serving on the Local Executive and who is not a candidate. (insert comma)

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9.3.3    Candidates for the position of President, shall have an opportunity for two (2) minutes of rebuttal at the end of speeches for that position. (insert numeral)

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9.3.5    Each candidate may appoint one (1) scrutineer to observe the counting of the ballots for that candidate’s election. (insert numeral)

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10.3     Delegates and Alternates of the Local shall include: (insert semi-colons with period at end)

- the President;

- the First Vice President;

- the Second Vice President;

- the Treasurer;

- the Secretary;

- the Health and Safety Officer.

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The ETFO Teacher/Occasional Teacher Compensation Arbitration is different from the Bill 124 Remedy payment TVOT members will receive in May. Below are answers to many of the questions Locals have received - 

Are you aware that Canada is home to the fourth largest Jewish community in the world? Provincial ETFO urges members to visit https://www.etfo.ca/calendar/jewish-heritage-month to find out about the many historical and contemporary contributions to the Labour Movement and to Canadian society made by the Jewish community.

This month is an opportunity for all of us to reflect and act on countering antisemitism. 

Registration for TVOT Annual Meeting and Buffet; Using the Board's Outlook; Union Representation; Earn an Extra $500

 

Be professional – Don’t use the TVDSB system for personal correspondence. There is no privacy when an employee uses the Board’s property whether it is a TVDSB computer or the Board’s Outlook email system (even from a home computer). All such useage must be appropriate and related to your employment with the Board.  Inappropriate use of such equipment could result in the Board limiting or revoking your access and possible discipline.

The Union asks members to use a personal email address when contacting the Local so that we may respond confidentially.

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You Have a Right to Union Representation:

Stewards represent the permanent Teachers in that school. It is your OT Local that represents members in daily or LTO assignments at any meeting or informal ‘chat’ with Administration that might result in discipline. Whether the meeting is to take place during the school day or immediately after school, if you feel uncomfortable in any way, you may ask for a delay until your OT Office can be contacted.

If the meeting entails contact in any way with the CAS or the Police, do not say anything except “I am willing to cooperate but I am unable to comment until I contact the Federation and legal counsel.” Then phone ETFO Provincial at 1-888-838-3836, state that your call is urgent and an “on-call” counselor will assist you.

Communication with your Local is confidential.  We welcome all questions so please notify us of any concerns regarding your occasional teaching.

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- Are you aware that you can earn an extra $500 because your 4 half-days of Paid PD (which includes the .5 day reserved for mandatory online training), totals close to $500 of salary?

- Are you aware that you also receive 2 days of pension credit, 2 days of the 10 needed to remain on the elementary OT List and 16 hours of credit for purposes of Employment Insurance?

- Do you know that your TVOT Local has negotiated the most Paid PD for its members of any Local in Ontario?

- Did you know that spots remain for 2 of the in-person workshops being hosted as Paid PD on April 30th at the Lamplighter Inn, and a free dinner is included? 

- Are you aware that retirees must either reserve a half-day of teaching so that they can complete their mandatory online training at the end of June, or contact Terri Manning in Staff Development  at t.manning@tvdsb.ca to ensure they meet TVDSB's expectations but do not exceed their teaching limits?

- Do you know that online Paid PD sessions can be completed at your leisure, even on weekends and evenings?

- Have you considered self-directed Paid PD options that enable an OT to attend, with permission from a Principal, the professional development that is being offered to permanent staff at a school on a PD Day?

- Are you aware that at the time a Paid PD session is being offered, LTOs with positions of 0.5 or higher are not eligible to participate? They must still complete the mandatory online training, however they will have covered much of this during staff meetings at their schools.

OCT Fees Due Today: Call For Candidates; Paid PD with Dinner at the Lamplighter Inn; Provincial ETFO OT Conference; Lost Prep Periods

 

Your Ontario College of Teachers annual membership fee of $200 must be paid no later than today, April 17th. Those who were in a LTO assignment at the beginning of January had their fee remitted by TVDSB so check your paystub to ensure it has been paid. Otherwise you will no longer be certified. N.B. Those who are late will be charged an additional penalty of $130.

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CALL FOR CANDIDATES for TVOT Local Executive positions -

Have you considered running for a position on the ETFO Thames Valley Occasional Teachers’ Executive? Members at the TVOT Spring Annual Meeting select their Local Executive each year.  

Why not join your Executive team and find out what is going on – you can make a difference!

Meetings are typically held one afternoon a month at our TVOT Office. (LTOs are released from their assignments to attend.)

Elections to be held May 23, 2024 at the Lamplighter Inn for the following positions:

President – two year term, full-time position; legal spokesperson and representative of Local; Grievance Officer; liaison/ member of all committees; signing officer; attends all Provincial Rep. Councils, ETFO Annual Meeting, other ETFO meetings in Toronto Local Constitution 7.2.1  Candidates must have a minimum of two (2) years of Local Executive experience Local Constitution 9.1.2

First Vice-President – two year term; assists the President, coordinates preparation of the newsletter, attends committees: Local Constitution 7.2.2 Candidates must have a minimum of two (2) years of Local Executive experience: Local Constitution 9.1.2

Second Vice-President – two year term; assists the President and First Vice-President and acts as liaison to the P.D. Committee: Local Constitution 7.2.3 Candidates must have a minimum of two (2) years of Local Executive experience: Local Constitution 9.1.2

Secretary – two year term; records, prepares and circulates accurate minutes of past and present Executive and General Membership Meetings: Local Constitution 7.2.4

Treasurer – two year term; maintains financial records, pays expenses of the Local as signing officer, drafts budget and reports to Executive and membership: Local Constitution 7.2.5

Health and Safety Officer – two year term; acts as liaison with the Board’s Joint Health and Safety Committee, the Local Executive and general membership; conducts annual audits of schools and participates in all applicable training: Local Constitution 7.2.7

Executive Members at Large (4) – one year term; great learning position with duties as determined by the Executive: Local Constitution 7.1.1 – 7.1.13

Chief Negotiator - remains in office until new agreement ratified; negotiates the collective agreement; maintains agreement and reports to membership: Local Constitution 7.2.6 and 7.3.4

Collective Bargaining Committee (President, Chief Negotiator and 4-5 others) - remains in office until new agreement ratified; collects information from membership and prepares Local preliminary submission: Local Constitution 7.3.4

ETFO Provincial Annual Meeting Delegates (8) Alternates (5) – 11 to attend, with pool from which vacancies can be filled; Meeting in Toronto August 12-15, 2024 (costs paid): Local Constitution 10.1 – 10.6

Candidate Forms are posted on the Local website: www.etfotvotcom .

The deadline for receipt of Candidate Forms is Friday, May 3, 2024 at 5 PM.

Registration for the TVOT Annual Meeting opens next week!

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Still time to join us for Paid PD with dinner on Tuesday, April 30/24, 4:30 PM at the Lamplighter Inn.

Sessions include:

- The Progression of Patterning in Elementary

- Keeping the "A" in STEAM  

- Documenting Learning in Kindergarten 

Register in the TVDSB Employee Portal > Conference/Session Registration where you can find out more about each workshop'

Please notify the Local if you cannot attend as there is often a waiting list and we don't wish to use members' money paying for meals that are wasted.

Should an Administrator ask you to give up the prep period on your daily or LTO schedule

in order to cover a class etc., the Local asks that you take note of the date, the school, the time of the scheduled prep period and the number of minutes that were lost. In previous years, the Local has successfully negotiated payment for such lost time so we encourage members to track losses again this school year. Remember - a right gained, is never a right secured. We must all remain vigilant.

More in-person paid PD dinners; Notice to new Grads awaiting OCT; Fees are due; ETFO Bursaries;

 

Another in-Person Paid PD with dinner on Tuesday, April 30/24, 4:30 PM.

Join us at the Lamplighter Inn for dinner and workshops such as: 

- The Progression of Patterning in Elementary - This workshop will focus on how to connect the different types of patterning that are taught throughout the grades in mathematics to see how they set the foundation for linear growing patterns in intermediate grades.

- Keeping the "A" in STEAM - This hands-on workshop will show  you practical, low-cost and easy to use ideas that will allow you to blend digital arts, visual arts, drama and dance into your math and science lessons making it fun and understandable for reluctant learners. 

- Documenting Learning in Kindergarten - This interactive workshop will provide Teachers with the opportunity to explore documentation and the ways in which it supports students' learning. Develop your skills for the ongoing collection of evidence of student growth that builds on your initial observations. 

Register in the TVDSB Employee Portal > Conference/Session Registration. 

Please notify the Local if you cannot attend as there is often a waiting list and we don't wish to use members' money paying for meals that are wasted.

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You may be entitled to compensation if you were a recent graduate awaiting certification from the Ontario College of Teachers (OCT).

As of September 2019, if you were a recent graduate who had fulfulled all of your requirements, applied to OCT but were awaiting a response, then according to the terms of the Collective Agreement, you are entitled to an adjustment to your pay. 

Please send documentation to Jessica Fox at j.fox@tvdsb.ca and allow up to 7 days for a response.

This applies also to current new graduates who have applied to OCT and are awaiting certification. (This does not apply to those awaiting interim/transitional certification from OCT.)

For more information, contact your OT Local at etfotvot@gmail.com or TVDSB Staffing Supervisor Clare MacMillan at clare.macmillan@tvdsb.ca.

Sunday is the final day for TVOT members to take advantage of their Columbia Outlet Store invitation.

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OCT Fees are due  by April 17th and must be paid if TVOT members want to continue teaching as a certified Occasional Teacher in Ontario. Those who were in a LTO assignment at the beginning of January have had their $200 fee remitted by TVDSB as noted on their paystub. N.B. Those who pay  late are charged an additional penalty of $130.

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The ETFO Scholarships and Bursaries application period opens in January and ends April 30 each year. Here are the scholarship and bursary criteria.  Visit https://www.etfo.ca/about-us/awards-scholarships/etfo-scholarships-and-bursaries for application details.

Bachelor of Education Bursaries – For Children of ETFO members: Bursaries are offered annually to children of an active ETFO member entering a bachelor of education program in a faculty of education at a publicly funded university/institution in Ontario. Up to 12 bursaries of $500 and a Certificate of Recognition may be granted.

Doctoral Scholarship: This scholarship may be offered to active ETFO members to study at the doctoral level at a publicly funded university/institution in Ontario. One award of $2,500 and a Certificate of Recognition may be granted.

Doctoral Scholarship – Women’s Program: This scholarship may be offered to active ETFO women members to study at the doctoral level at a publicly funded university/institution in Ontario. One award of $2,500 and a Certificate of Recognition may be granted.

ETFO Black Educator Bursary (open to non-ETFO members): ETFO offers this bursary annually to support an individual who identifies as Black, who is entering their first year in a publicly funded faculty of education program in Ontario, as a full-time student. A bursary of $12,500 and a Certificate of Recognition may be granted. This bursary is not intended to support a master’s or doctorate program.

ETFO Black Educator Bursary - Women’s Program (open to non-ETFO members): ETFO offers this bursary annually to support an individual who identifies as a Black woman, who is entering their first year in a publicly funded faculty of education program in Ontario, as a full-time student. A bursary of $12,500 and a Certificate of Recognition may be granted. This bursary is not intended to support a master’s or doctorate program.

ETFO Bursaries – For members of designated groups (open to ETFO members/non-ETFO members): Bursaries are offered annually to members of designated groups who are entering a faculty of education at a publicly funded university/institution in Ontario or ETFO members of designated groups who are taking a qualification/upgrading course at a publicly funded university/institution in Ontario. Up to eight bursaries of up to $625 and a Certificate of Recognition may be granted. This award is not intended to support a master’s or doctorate program.

ETFO Bursaries – For members of designated groups – Women’s Program (open to ETFO members/non-ETFO members): Bursaries are offered annually to women members of designated groups who are entering a faculty of education at a publicly funded university/institution in Ontario or ETFO women members of designated groups who are taking a qualification/upgrading course at a publicly funded university/institution in Ontario. Up to eight bursaries of up to $625 and a Certificate of Recognition may be granted. This award is not intended to support a master’s or doctorate program.

ETFO Member Bursaries: Bursaries are offered annually to members who are entering a faculty of education or who are taking a qualification/upgrading course at a publicly funded university/institution in Ontario. Up to eight bursaries of up to $625 and a Certificate of Recognition may be granted. This award is not intended to support a master’s or doctorate program.

First Nations, Métis and Inuit (FNMI) Professional Learning Bursary: This bursary may be offered annually to an active ETFO member who is taking an FNMI-focused additional qualification course from a publicly funded university/institution in Ontario, an FMNI professional learning course or attending an FNMI workshop/conference. Up to two bursaries of $750 and a Certificate of Recognition may be granted.

First Nations, Métis and Inuit (FNMI) Women in Education – Women’s Program (open to ETFO members/non-ETFO members): ETFO offers this bursary annually to First Nations, Métis and Inuit women who are entering a publicly funded faculty of education in Ontario, or ETFO First Nations, Métis and Inuit women members who are taking a qualification/upgrading course from a publicly funded university/institution in Ontario. Up to four bursaries of up to $1,250 and a Certificate of Recognition may be granted. This award is not intended to support a master’s or doctorate program.

First Nations, Métis and Inuit (FNMI) Women's Scholarship – Women’s Program

ETFO offers this scholarship annually to First Nations, Métis and Inuit women who are entering their first year of a full-time undergraduate degree at an accredited university in Ontario. Up to two scholarships of $12,500 and a Certificate of Recognition may be granted. This award is not intended to support a master’s or doctorate program.

Learning and Leadership Bursary – Women’s Program: This bursary may be offered annually to an active ETFO woman member who is pursuing professional learning and leadership opportunities through an additional qualification course from a publicly funded university/institution in Ontario, a professional learning leadership course or attending a leadership workshop/conference. Up to two bursaries of $625 and a Certificate of Recognition may be granted.

Master’s Scholarship: This scholarship may be offered to active ETFO members to study at the master’s level at a publicly funded university/institution in Ontario. Up to four awards of $1,250 and a Certificate of Recognition may be granted.

Master’s Scholarship – Women’s Program: This scholarship may be offered to active ETFO women members to study at the master’s level at a publicly funded university/institution in Ontario. Up to four awards of $1,250 and a Certificate of Recognition may be granted.

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