Staff
The Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation (OSSTF) District 5B teacher bargaining unit has reached a four-year deal with the Rainy River District School Board.
The agreement affects roughly 101 secondary contract teachers from Atikokan High School, Fort Frances High School, Rainy River High School, and the Sturgeon Creek Alternative Program, and will be in place until Aug. 31, 2012.
“I would like to extend a thank you to both the secondary contract teachers and secondary occasional teachers for reaching new four-year agreements,” board chair Dan Belluz noted following the approval of the contracts at the Feb. 3 board meeting.
“This will result in a clear focus on student achievement for both the board and its teachers,” he added.
“The true winners are our students.”
“I congratulate [both sides] for coming to agreements within the deadline of Jan. 30, and look forward to working with staff over the next four years as we continue to improve learning opportunities for our students,” stated education director Jack McMaster.
By reaching a collective agreement following the Provincial Discussion Table (PDT) Agreement prior to midnight on Jan. 30, boards and OSSTF qualified for provincial funding and benefits that allow for a four-year contract (opposed to a two-year one) that would give both secondary teachers and occasional teachers an annual three percent salary increase reaching retroactively from Sept. 1 2008 to Sept. 1, 2011.
“Although we’re pleased that we have been able to arrive at an agreement with the Rainy River District School Board on behalf of secondary teachers, the ratification vote of less than 70 percent is indicative of members’ disappointment in the settlement reached,” noted Paul Elliott, provincial vice-president of the OSSTF and chair of the District 5B negotiating team in a press release following ratification of the deal.
“Throughout the negotiation process, we attempted to address the board’s issues but found the board entrenched in positions that inadequately addressed student success,” he charged.
“The board’s refusal to lower classes sizes, unless their demands were met, was very troubling.”
“We hope that in the intervening time between this contract and the next round of negotiations, the board realizes that improving its relationship with its teachers and effectively addressing their concerns should be a priority,” echoed Brian Church, president of the District 5B teacher bargaining unit.
In related news, bargaining continues between elementary teachers and school boards.
Provincial discussions between the Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario and the Ontario Public School Boards Association fell through in December, leaving ETFO locals and individual boards to negotiate for what would only be two-year contracts.
But Education minister Kathleen Wynne on Tuesday unveiled a second chance for the ETFO and OPSBA to come to an agreement under the provincial discussion table framework, which both sides have until 3 p.m. (CST) today to agree to.
The OPSBA already has thrown its support behind the four-year, $700-million offer, which the government has called its “final proposal.”
