Staff
Parents of students attending elementary schools within the Rainy River District School Board have just the weekend to arrange for child care for Monday.
The Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario (ETFO) announced Friday morning that local public elementary teachers, occasional teachers, and education support personnel (ESPs) will stage a one-day strike Monday to continue sending the government a message that Bill 115 is severely impeding local collective bargaining.
With official word this morning, the union has given parents the promised 72 hours’ notice of the one-day strike, which was not unexpected given other boards across the province have been taking part in the rolling strike action this week.
“As we will not be able to provide a safe environment for our students, all elementary schools will be closed to students on Monday,” the school board noted in a labour relations update to parents.
“This particular one day will be a disruption, which is unfortunate,” noted board chair Michael Lewis, adding the letters will be going out to parents Friday.
Busing for elementary students within the board will be cancelled for the day.
However, the one-day strike does not affect secondary school students nor the Northwest Catholic District School Board, so their buses will operate as usual.
The board’s elementary schools will re-open Tuesday.
“We understand and sincerely regret the severity of this disruption for our students, and urge parents to make alternate arrangements for care for their children on this day,” the board noted.
Catherine McGuire, chair of the J.W. Walker School Council, said the purpose of the school council is ensuring safety of the children.
“So with the teachers choosing to strike, the safety [measures] were to keep the kids at home because they can’t provide a safe environment for them at the school,” she said.
“But then it leaves the issue of parents scrambling to find care for the children who are not old enough to look after themselves.”
She noted some will have family members who can help out for the day but others don’t have family readily available.
Meanwhile, home day cares only can accept a limited number of children.
McGuire’s suggestion is that perhaps some of the older students, those in Grades 7 and 8, could help out families by baby-sitting on Monday.
“It’s good for the older kids to keep them occupied and they could act as a role model,” she reasoned.
The school council’s hope is that people will work together and help each other out.
“Some people are going to have to put out a lot of money depending on how many children they have if they do find a sitter or if they have to give up a day of work,” McGuire noted.
She added the school council also understands the teachers’ point of view and respects the action they need to take.
“We thank you for your
understanding during this challenging time for everyone in our system,” the school board indicated.
“The Rainy River District School Board is committed to maintaining positive relationships with our students, parents, staff, and broader community, and ensuring the safety of our students throughout this job action,” it added.
The board will continue to provide any new information or updates in as timely a manner as possible, and advise parents on its website.
The one-day strike by the ETFO is in regards to Bill 115 impeding local collective bargaining.
“To date, the education minister [Laurel Broten] has yet to do anything to assist local school boards in pursuing fair and respectful negotiations with our members,” said ETFO president Sam Hammond.
“She can end the chaos she has created by repealing Bill 115 and letting local bargaining proceed without interference,” he added.
“Bill 115 has set such rigid parameters that we’re taking a pause to tell the minister that her misguided approach is not working,” echoed Trevor Bowles, president of the Rainy River Teacher Local.
“By removing local autonomy, the education minister has left us no option but to take strike action to try and get this situation resolved.”
“All educators are appalled that this government could take away their democratic rights by passing such a regressive law,” said Jackie Dupuis-Brandli, president of the Rainy River Education Support Personnel Local.
“We are asking for repeal of Bill 115.”
The locals moved into a legal strike position Nov. 22.
They received “no board” reports through the conciliator appointed by the Ministry of Labour to resolve their bargaining impasse with the Rainy River District School Board.
During a vote Sept. 12, the locals received overwhelming mandates for strike action from their members.
ETFO Rainy River Teacher Local represents 130 elementary teachers employed by the Rainy River District School Board.
The Rainy River Occasional Teacher Local represents 80 occasional teachers while the ESP Local represents 100 members.
Collective agreements for all ETFO locals expired Aug. 31.
Since then, ETFO members have been working without collective agreements in place.
(Fort Frances Daily Bulletin)
