Protecting Salary and Working Conditions, Spring General Meeting and Banquet

Protecting Salary and Working Conditions

Here are just a few job-related items which would be in jeopardy without collective bargaining:

• Your Salary

 Teachers are exempt from the law which provides minimum wage protection to most other workers in this province. The fact that your salary rises each year, and that there is an experience grid which causes it to rise even further in your first ten or so years of teaching, is due to collective bargaining.

• Your Sick Leave Entitlement

Your employer is not obligated to provide paid time off when you are sick - unless the collective agreement stipulates otherwise. By the same token, any retirement gratuity that you may receive as a result of banked sick leave is only there because your negotiators fought for it at the bargaining table.

• The Way You Spend Your Work Day

The general framework in the Education Act with respect to the school day and student instructional time leaves wide scope for collective bargaining. Therefore, your collective agreement can cover the instructional day, preparation time, supervision time, and an overall limit to the working day. 

•  The Way Jobs Are Allocated

For teachers, transfer, seniority, and lay-off provisions are all subject to collective bargaining. So, too are the rights of part-time teachers. For occasional teachers, the size of the call-out list, the right to remain on the list, the system of call-out, and the posting and allocation of long-term positions are all negotiated items.

• Protection From Arbitrary Discipline

One of the most important parts of your collective agreement is your "just cause" clause. Without it, your job tenure would be much less secure; your employer would be able to discharge or discipline you far more easily.

• Collective bargaining fills in gaps in existing laws

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Spring General Meeting & Banquet

Join us on Wednesday, May 15, 2019 in the Crystal Ballroom at the Lamplighter Inn for our Spring General Meeting and Banquet from 4:30 PM - 7:30 PM. 
This is a wonderful time to catch up with colleagues, enjoy a wonderful meal and learn about what is taking place and what is being planned.
You will have a say as to who represents you on the ETFO-Thames Valley Occasional Teacher's Executive.
Register on our website at: www.etfotvot.com

April 25th after-school paid PD; Take action; Deadline for nominations

Flourish with French -  Featuring a resource developed by your OT Local, we are pleased to offer Flourish with French as an after school paid PD event. This workshop was designed for OTs who are not qualified in FSL but who wish to expand and enhance their teaching opportunities. Receive your free copy of this exciting, new curriculum resource and have to confidence to take a daily or short-term assignment in French. Further details and registration for this event at the BMO Centre is via the TVDSB Employee Portal. Dinner is included and only a few spots remain so register soon.

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Day of Outreach Action for Education and Healthcare - The Ontario Federation of Labour / OFL urges all concerned members of the public to join the province wide day of action, today from 4 - 5:30 PM at the Ministry of Education offices, 217 York Street in London. Let's take back Ontario - there is much at stake!

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Another opportunity to show the government that you do not agree with these continuing cuts to healthcare and education.
You do have a voice!

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Nominations for Local Executive
Just a reminder that the deadline for nominations for the 2019 - 2020 Local Executive is April 25, 2019.  Forms are available on the Local website www.etfotvot.com

Two important events; OCT fees due; Nominations open

April 16th - Don't Be Afraid
The response thus far has been great!  You too are invited to attend this information meeting on April 16th, 4:30 PM at the Lamplighter Inn. Find out how bargaining affects you, the possibility of job action/strike, solidarity and what it means to be in a union.
Registration is on our Local website www.etfotvot.com .
We look forward to seeing you there and dinner is included.
                photo from Rally for Education - we were proud to be there  -
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April 25th, 4:30 PM at BMO Centre 
for after-school paid PD
Space is still available for Flourish with French, a workshop designed for OTs who are not qualified in FSL but who wish to expand and enhance their teaching opportunities by accepting an FSL assignment. Join us and receive your free copy of this exciting, new curriculum resource published by our Local for OTs across Ontario! Further details and registration is via the TVDSB Employee Portal - dinner is included.
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Ontario College of Teachers Fees
TVDSB deducts OCT fees from those who were in a LTO as of January first as you will note on that electronic copy of your pay stub.  For everyone else, the deadline is April 15th, after which you will no longer be eligible to teach in Ontario.  The cost to be reinstated is $130 in addition to the $150 annual fee so it pays to meet the deadline.
Here is the link for online payment: https://www.oct.ca/eservices/home/amf.aspx 
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Call for Nominations
This year the Spring General Meeting and Elections will be held at the Lamplighter Inn in London on May 15, 2019.
Consider joining our team and lending your voice. Monthly dinner meetings are held after school and you can make a difference!
Nomination forms are now available at www.etfotvot.com for the following positions for Local Executive:

• President - no election this year - entering second year of 2 yr term (Constitution 6.1.3(a))
• First VP - assists President, attends committees, newsletter duties (Constitution 7.2.2)
• Second VP - assists Pres and First Vice-President; liaison with PD Committee (Constitution 7.2.3)
• Secretary - records, prepares and circulates accurate minutes of Executive and membership meetings (Constitution 7.2.4)
• Treasurer - maintains financial records, signing officer, drafts budget and reports to membership, helps oversee bookkeeper (Constitution 7.2.5)
• Health & Safety Officer - liaison with TVDSB Joint Health and Safety Committee, conducts annual audits of schools, participates in training (Constitution 7.2.7)
• Executive Members at large (4) - great learning positions with duties determined by Executive  (Constitution 7.1.1 - 7.1.14)
• Chief Negotiator and Collective Bargaining Committee - no election per Constitution since preparations for bargaining underway (Constitution 7.3.4 (i))
• ETFO Provincial Annual Meeting Alternates (maximum 5) - pool from which delegate vacancies can be filled; Toronto August 12 - 15, 2019 (Constitution 10.1 - 10.6)

Deadline for receipt of nominations is April 25, 2019 at 5 PM

April 16 Info Meeting; TVDSB Workplace Survey; Rally for Education

April 16th at the Lamplighter Inn - Don't Be Afraid 
Anyone who has spent time lately in the staff room of an Ontario school, is aware of mounting tensions between Teachers and the Ford Government.
For Occasional Teachers, cuts to education mean that LTOs will no longer receive the supports of  NTIP and must wait until they are hired permanently. As learning support Teachers and Teachers on special assignment return to classrooms, and as class sizes increase in the junior years, the job prospects for permanent hire are diminishing. Threats to Regulation 274 may mean a loss accountability in hiring to LTOs and permanent positions - we could revert to the nepotism and favouritism that prompted the previous government to enact legislation in the first place.  Add to this the layoffs of EAs just as the Board prepares to accept more autistic students, the snitch line on Teachers and the cancellation of all school repairs for the year, threats to the delivery of kindergarten and you can see that that trouble is looming.
The ETFO Thames Valley Occasional Teacher Local invites all members to attend an information meeting on April 16th, 4:30 PM at the Lamplighter Inn in London. Participants will have an opportunity to enjoy dinner and win one of several $100 Gift Cards. Find out how all of this affects you, get answers to your questions about bargaining, the possibility of job action/strike, solidarity and what it means to be in a union.
Registration will be via our Local website www.etfotvot.com - We look forward to seeing you there.
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Workplace Violence Awareness Survey
Just a reminder that the TVDSB Violence Awareness Survey is still active on the Employee Portal for members to anonymously voice their safety concerns. The survey can be found in the Employee Portal just under "Staff Development and Training", the fourth item on the list.
We all have the right to work in a safe environment.

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Rally for Education this Saturday 
- Free Transportation
A few spots are still remaining on buses we will share with the Thames Valley Teachers to travel to Queens Park on Saturday and voice our concerns about this government's attacks on public education.  Contact the Teachers' Local at 519-474-3150 to register.


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