ETFO Provincial Tentative Agreement; Updates in light of Covid-19; Strike cheques

As you have heard, Provincial ETFO has now reached a tentative bargaining agreement at the Central Table. Details about the deal and voting will be released to members via the ETFO CB eNewsletter so be sure to register at https://etfocb.ca/stay-in-touch-2/easy-to-stay-in-touch/ . Improtant news will be sent out March 30th so don't hesitate to subscribe ASAP. You need to keep informed/

To vote, you will require your ETFO ID number which is found on your ETFO ID Card
or on the mailing addressof your ETFO Voice Magazine, just above your name.
Contact the provincial office if you require assistance.


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News in light of Covid-19

• the Local OT Office is now being monitored remotely so please contact us at etfotvot@gmail.com for assistance
• Teachers, Occasional Teachers/LTOs cannot enter TVDSB buildings and have been advised not to post lessons online - future direction is expected from the Ministry and the Board 
• TVDSB has undertaken to pay LTOs during the 2 week closure per their contract
• TVDSB will pay daily OTs based on the average number of days worked in the 8 weeks before March Break (NB neither Teachers nor LTOs are paid for March Break) for the school closure up to April 5th, 2020. 
• TVDSB has not agreed to pay daily OTs past April 5th so we recommend members look into Employment Insurance assistance.
• Occasional Teachers who are retired and collecting a pension may wish to contact the Board to waive the payments if this averaging would cause them to exceed the OTPP re-employment limits

Now is the time to listen to the advice of experts - do what you must to keep yourself and those around you, safe and healthy! 

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Strike Cheques

With 83,000 members eligible for strike pay, it is understandable that Provincial ETFO has experienced some difficulties processing strike pay cheques.

Please know that the Local will continue to help members address these issues so please email us with full details at etfotvot@gmail.com and we will help sort out such difficulties. 

ETFO Solidarity Signature and bargaining; Ensuring TVARRIS is accurate; Free Skate; Strike Pay

How to affix the ETFO Solidarity Signature to your TVDSB Outlook emails -

• Go to www.etfocb.ca/phase-6-resources/
• Copy the small ETFO solidarity signature from there
• Open your TVDSB Outlook email account 
• Click on the "Settings" wheel in the TVDSB banner 
• Type "email signature" in the search box and click "enter"
• When the signature box opens, click inside and paste in your copied ETFO Solidarity Signature
• You may want to add your name etc. at this time too
• Be sure to click "Save" at the bottom right when you are finished. 

Some Bargaining Facts:

• More than $200 million Special Education funding has not been restored for 2019 - 2020 (already underfunded for student needs and without accounting for inflation)
• When taking inflation into account, per student spending has declined by 3%
• Government continues to ignore the results of public consultation (class sizes, spec. ed) 
• Government has discarded findings of Min. of Education's independent research regarding Regulation 274 and fair hiring which found:
  
  
  

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TVARRIS Depends on Accuracy

Just as Occasional Teachers expect an accurate description of the jobs we accept, the Board has a right to accurately know who is available to work each day.

Ensure that your availability is accurate from day to day so that TVARRIS works effectively and your fellow OTs have a chance to accept teaching assignments.

There is no penalty for booking off time so long as you fulfill the required 10 days needed to remain on the elementary OT Roster, so please mark yourself as unavailable, even for a half-day, if you are not available for a call.

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The Cheque is in the mail...

Please note that the Local has mailed cheques for strike pay for February 4,6,10 and 11 to TVOT members. Unfortunately, these will not include any errors or omissions from the January 22nd strike day.

Free Public Skate; We appreciate your support; Thinking about Retirement? & Columbia Sportswear Invitation

FREE PUBLIC SKATE -

sponsored by your local OSSTF, OECTA, ETFO Teacher and ETFO Occasional Teacher Locals.

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WE ARE GRATEFUL - 

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Considering retiring?  You are invited to attend - 

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Columbia Sportswear Invitation - 
As mentioned last week, once again, we have been invited to shop the Columbia Sportswear Employee Store.
The invitation, along with details as to what to bring can be found on the ETFO TVOT website under "Member Services".