Ontario education minister imposes new contracts on teachers

[puckstopshere]

Ontario Education Minister Laurel Broten announced that she will impose new contracts on teachers, a move that threatens to intensify labour unrest in the province’s schools.

Citing the stubborn $14-billion deficit, Ms. Broten said Thursday that she had a choice between protecting gains in the public education system and raising teachers’ salaries.

In imposing the two-year contracts banning teachers from walking off the job, Ms. Broten said: “I have been left with no other option.”

“In the end, action was necessary and we have taken it,” she said at a news conference.

However, Ms. Broten stressed that the controversial legislation known as Bill 115 is a one-time measure. The plan, she said, is to repeal the legislation well before the two-year contracts expire on Aug. 31, 2014.

Ms. Broten warned union leaders not to ask their members to take “illegal strike activity,” saying teachers are no longer in a position to walk off the job.

Sam Hammond, head of the Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario, warned that “you cannot expect that it will be business as usual in schools” when classes resume on Monday.

However, he did not offer any specifics beyond a previously announced court challenge to the legislation, saying union leaders needed to meet first.

Mr. Hammond described the government’s use of Bill 115 as a “disgraceful use of government power.”

“A decade of goodwill has been squandered in just under 10 months by this education minister,” he said at a news conference, where he accused Ms. Broten of “trampling” teachers’ bargaining rights.

The government will not “remove the stain” of Bill 115 of simply repealing it once it has been used, he said.

The deadline for unions to reach local agreements with school boards came and went on Monday night, giving Ms. Broten the power to set the terms of the contracts for public school teachers and staff under Bill 115, which allows the government to freeze wages, reduces teachers’ ability to bank sick days and limit their right to strike.

Only 65 of 469 school bargaining units across the province have come to deals that meet the province’s strict requirements under Bill 115, the vast majority of them within the English Catholic school board, which settled in July.

Elementary teachers staged rotating one-day strikes across the province before the Christmas break and in late December ETFO urged Ms. Broten to hold off on imposing contracts until a new Liberal leader is chosen to replace Mr. McGuinty.

But it is unclear whether ETFO plans to escalate strike action, which could be deemed illegal. High school teachers across the province have withdrawn from extracurricular activities, which they provide on a volunteer basis. That job action is expected to continue into 2013 – and for the next two years – because of the province’s move to impose contracts.

Opposition members denounced the government for announcing that it plans to repeal the legislation after using it to impose a new contract.

"What we've just witnessed is cynical politics at its very worst," New Democratic MPP Cheri DiNovo told reporters.

Progressive Conservative Leader Tim Hudak, who has been pushing for mandatory, across-the-board wage freezes for public sector workers, criticized the government for planning to repeal its legislation that imposes such a freeze on the province’s teachers.

“It’s been 10 months of this chaos,” Mr. Hudak told reporters on Thursday. “Now they’re going to toss it overboard? That tells me they want to put the union bosses back in charge of this process.”

Annie Kidder, executive director of the advocacy group People for Education, said she doubts that repealing the legislation will solve the problem or restore a sense of “collegiality” between the government and teachers.

“It’s like giving with one hand and taking away with the other,” Ms. Kidder told reporters.

The Ontario Liberals have said that cutting teachers’ paid sick days to 10 from 20, and delaying a pay grid that increases their salaries to $90,000 from about $40,000 over 10 years, was necessary to tackle a $14-billion provincial deficit while preserving job-generating programs such as caps on primary-class sizes and full-day kindergarten.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/ontario-education-minister-imposes-new-contracts-on-tea...

[prior-of-verity*shake-hands-with-your-devil]

LOL….well that should go over well. So lets see what we have here………..

-  The Liberals forced the bill but they will repeal it later.

-  The Conservatives and Hudak wanted the right to strike removed forever.

-  The NDP….are looking better to the Teachers Union and unions in general.

-  Broten hopes that this force will bring teachers back to after school extracurricular activities. (I’ve never asked a teacher…..are they paid for after school activities?)

The right to collective bargaining and if necessary the right to strike… is fundamental part of our democracy …like it or not. If teachers were striking in Iran or Iraq or Afghanistan or China….we would be applauding them and saying it was their democratic right.  

[petelesco]

To answer your question, no we are not paid for extracurricular activities. We are also not paid to monitor the halls, monitor the lunch rooms, coach sports, lead band or choir, organize school plays, or stay late for meet the teacher nights. It is a sad situation because the vast majority of us are more than happy to build connections with our students by doing these things. That is why we became teachers.

It is a little known fact, but some teachers here in Ontario are paid on an hourly basis. This means we are unemployed (with no pay) over Christmas, March break, and the summer. Suddenly being a teacher doesn't sound like the gravy train some people make it out to be!

All of this leaves us with an interesting election on the horizon. For myself, I will have to consider if I want a Liberal Government who illegally imposed a contract on me, a Conservative Government who thinks the Liberals didn't go far enough (really, they won't be happy until everyone in this province is on minimum wage), or an NDP Government who will easily double our deficit without even thinking about it.

JMO of course. 🙂

[puckstopshere]

TORONTO — The Ontario government wants to freeze teachers’ salaries for two years and strip away a generous benefit that allows them to bank 200 sick days before retirement, the government said Thursday as it revealed its negotiating position for the next set of provincewide contracts.

The unusual disclosure from the Liberal government comes after the largest elementary teachers union walked out of negotiations, which started on Wednesday, calling the offer a non-starter.

“It’s laughable. It’s a joke,” said Peter Giuliani, president of the Ottawa-Carleton Elementary Teachers Federation, which represents 3,000 teachers in the Ottawa-Carleton board. “I’ve been doing union work for 25 years, and I’ve never seen something so insulting.”

In all but a few cases, Ontario teachers receive 20 sick days per year and are allowed to accumulate 200. Those days are paid out at 50% of their salary in the final year of work for a maximum $46,000.

Education Minister Laurel Broten said the benefits are “not sustainable and not in line with the current fiscal reality we have in the province.”

The sick-day payout will cost taxpayers $118-million in 2011-12, she said, and is rising each year. In total, the government says it has resulted in a $1.7-billion liability.

Ontario is grappling with a $16-billion deficit and has been told that figure could nearly double within five years unless it moves to contain costs.

The government is offering teachers six sick days per year, similar to what Ontario public service workers are entitled to, in a new two-year agreement. Teachers off work for more than six days would be forced to go on short-term medical leave at 66% of their salary.

Elementary teachers lost a battle with the province in 2008 and ultimately accepted a less valuable contract than their secondary school colleagues.

Teacher contracts expire on Aug. 31. Mr. Giuliani could not say whether his members are headed for a strike.

The teachers have benefited from Dalton McGuinty’s Liberal government, with the average teacher salary rising 34% over the past eight years, to $83,500. Over the same period, elementary teachers have gained 50% more preparation time. They now have 240 minutes per week.

In return, teachers were one of a number of union groups that worked to re-elect the Liberals to a third consecutive election victory in October 2011.

http://news.nationalpost.com/2012/03/02/ontario-eyes-two-year-teacher-salary-freeze/

[puckstopshere]

It is a little known fact, but some teachers here in Ontario are paid on an hourly basis.

Yes, but how much does that work out to per hour actually worked including extracurricular hours.  Even though teachers are unemployed (with no pay) over Christmas, March break, and the summer - they still manage to average $83,000 per year.  My guess is that they still do not accumulate the 2000 hours a year that the average person works.  When you look at weekends, sick days, PA days, stat holidays, paid vacation days, all the breaks over the year (summer, Christmas, etc.), there are not a lot of days left.  Yet they still make an excellent annual wage. 

but some teachers here in Ontario are paid on an hourly basis.

What percentage are paid by the hour - 50% - 40% - 20% - 10%?

[prior-of-verity*shake-hands-with-your-devil]

To answer your question, no we are not paid for extracurricular activities. We are also not paid to monitor the halls, monitor the lunch rooms, coach sports, lead band or choir, organize school plays, or stay late for meet the teacher nights.

I could see things like monitoring halls or lunch rooms being part of a teacher’s wages, but to me anything after school should be extra wages. ‘Maybe’ the exception would be ‘meet the teacher nights’….because it’s along the lines of a after work meeting.

I suppose if some teachers ‘want, or enjoy’ being part of other after school activities then that’s their business….but I think that ‘generosity’ can become ‘expected’ by both school boards, parents and students.

It is a little known fact, but some teachers here in Ontario are paid on an hourly basis. This means we are unemployed (with no pay) over Christmas, March break, and the summer. Suddenly being a teacher doesn't sound like the gravy train some people make it out to be!

You’re right…..I’d never heard of that. So just out of curiousity, who are these hourly paid teachers? Are they teachers that are subbing for other teachers? How do they become different than how most of us consider teachers are paid? Any idea of what % these hourly paid teachers would be in comparison to regular paid teachers?

The anatomy of a teacher’s paycheque is interesting…  http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/education/anatomy-of-an-ontario-teachers-paycheque/arti...

Maybe it’s just me…..but I have never understood the ‘sick days’ concept. I think someone can certainly have sick days……..when they are……..sick! Why are taxpayers paying for these sick days for 10’s of thousands of teachers when they are not sick at all?

[pigdog47]

An average salary of $83G a year with two months off in the summer is a pretty good gig.  My mom was a career elementary school teacher.  Never can ever recall her complaining she was hard done by, and my old man and her lived quite comfortably.  

As I dislike both the Liberal government and the Teacher's Union more or less equally,  I think they deserve the misery they inflict on each other.

I also think many teachers have superior attitudes than come from   Breathing rarified air found in academia.

[pigdog47]

Paying those Union dues entitles a teacher to feel aggrieved with their terrible working conditions with poor pay...my heart goes out to them.

[puckstopshere]

but I have never understood the ‘sick days’ concept.

Me either.  Some employees use them like they are paid holidays.  Not sure how the teachers sick days work.  Most "sick day" policies that I am familiar with do not require a doctor's note for a single day off - only when you are off for three consecutive days.  So, employees can use single days whenever they feel like.

My friend (mentioned in another post) was a teacher for over 30 years.  When he retired, he had never used a sick day.  He was entitled to all his sick days.  Based on the agreement, he only received $46,000.  He donate most of his sick pay to charity.  His father retired from teaching prior to the ceiling being applied.  He also had never taken a sick day and got a huge winfall. 

[pigdog47]

Best book I've ever read about teaching is: "The Water is Wide"

The movie with Jon Voigt. falls far short, but still pretty good.  If you haven't enjoyed the company of a good book for a long time, I'd highly recommend it.

[dipmicro]

I thought average teacher hourly pay is $35.71

http://www.workingincanada.gc.ca/report-eng.do?lang=eng&noc=4142&area=9219&titleKeyword=elementary+school+teacher&regionKeyword=Toronto,+Ontario&source=2&action=final

$35.71 x 40hrs/wk x 52wks = 74,276.80/yr

... Government who illegally imposed a contract on me ...

How does government (or anyone) "illegally impose contract on you" ? Did someone put gun to your head and forced you to sign ?

Everyone has a choice not to accept the proposed agreement and leave.

I seriously don't understand these squabbles. If this is SO BAD, then LEAVE.

[dipmicro]

Just read this article.

http://www.niagarafallsreview.ca/ur/story/567551

Just for the record, as noted by the Canadian Taxpayers Federation "in Ontario the average industrial wage is about $47,000 per year having grown at 2.5 % over the last four years. Teachers on the other hand, surpass $72,000 in earnings after seven years on the job and about half of Ontario teachers earn $95,000, the top of the scale." Additional costs to the taxpayer include $7,800 in contributions to the Ontario Teachers’ Pension plan. In addition they receive extended medical, dental benefits which even include laser eye surgery! This top half of teachers cost us about $110,000 a piece! This salary and benefits package is remarkable given that teachers only work for about 190 days per year. Meanwhile the government is running a 15 Billion dollar deficit.

[almond_t]

-which even includes laser eye surgery

Wow, things have changed!  10 years ago I submitted a receipt to my insurance co ( not anticipating any pay-out beyond my regular vision care allotment) for LASIK eye surgery, and they were very quick to inform me that they would be happy to pay for a new pair of glasses every 2 years, but no go on the 'luxury' of laser!  I did get $150 or whatever amount reimbursed.

At the time, it would have been rare for any company to assume the costs of it, so I learned.  

We have a very comprehensive private insurance plan ( employer funded; we are the employers) that covers 100% of my very expensive drugs; however, laser surgery is still not a covered benefit.

I don't know of anyone else who didn't pay out of pocket for it.

[stevephinn2012]

The right to collective bargaining and if necessary the right to strike… is fundamental part of our democracy …like it or no- they have the right to negotiate, they have been "negotiating since before the contract expired last September. What they don't have is the right to hold students hostage!

[stevephinn2012]

It is a little known fact, but some teachers here in Ontario are paid on an hourly basis. This means we are unemployed (with no pay) over Christmas, March break, and the summer. Suddenly being a teacher doesn't sound like the gravy train some people make it out to be!---Any teacher that is paid hourley starts their Employment insurence claim in the summer and it continues to run the ENTIRE year, so when they are off at Christmas etc. they fill in their cards and they are paid for that time period. Any Hourley Teacher that does not do this i wonder IF they should be teaching?

To answer your question, no we are not paid for extracurricular activities. We are also not paid to monitor the halls, monitor the lunch rooms, coach sports, lead band or choir, organize school plays, or stay late for meet the teacher nights.---And yet the union has threatened teachers that any that do extra curricular (ON THEIR OWN TIME) will be fined $500 and be black balled

Maybe it’s just me…..but I have never understood the ‘sick days’ concept. I think someone can certainly have sick days……..when they are……..sick! Why are taxpayers paying for these sick days for 10’s of thousands of teachers when they are not sick at all?--- SHOCK ALERT I agree with Prior. They are called SICK days NOT bank these days and retire early!

These Teachers can still bank 6 months of paid sick leave--6 months!!! Yet there "short-term" disability if they are sick kicks in after i do believe it is 4 weeks. Why do they have to bank all this sick leave?

Every other non-government job has sick leave use it when your sick but you cannot take 6 months off at the end of your career to use "sick leave" I would agree with the policy that 1 of my prior employers had -we got 6 sick days a year (yep 6 NOT 20) and at the end of the year if you had not used your sick leave you christmas bonus was 1/2 or 3 days pay. Sort of evened the playing feild for those that took a monday or friday off 'sick"

[stevephinn2012]

LOL….well that should go over well. So lets see what we have here………..

-  The Liberals forced the bill but they will repeal it later.

-  The Conservatives and Hudak wanted the right to strike removed forever.

- The NDP….are looking better to the Teachers Union and unions in general.

-  Broten hopes that this force will bring teachers back to after school extracurricular

actually spoke to a few liberal members while I was away and from what they gathered (not sure how much they were told) the only part of the bill that will be repealed is the part about wage freezes. From what they were told it sounds better if they say they will repeal the bill.

I actually think Teachers should not have the right to strike, The only people it affects is the students and nobody else. Where if a company goes on strike it affects the owners bottom line and "forces" negotiation. Here it forces nothing

[dipmicro]

The good thing about Teacher's Union squabble is increased public awareness of where government spending is going. I can see many people getting outraged and more changes in the future. If you have it good, next time learn to keep quiet. Unions are not very good at keeping quiet, so I stand corrected and they are actually useful.

http://taxpayer.com/blog/11-12-2012/federal-employee-compensation-reveals-canada-two-tiered-society

http://taxpayer.com/federal/staggering-federal-payroll-costs-help-explain-ottawa%E2%80%99s-runaway-deficits

[prior-of-verity*shake-hands-with-your-devil]

What they don't have is the right to hold students hostage!

It could equally be said that it may be the government holding the students hostage if they are not bargaining in good faith. The government knows full well that they can hold out and parents will be increasingly get upset with children being at home and parents having to scramble for day care or take time off work and all the blame will be focused on teachers.

In truth it’s not the kids being held hostage….it’s the parents.

Once again we don’t really, totally, completely, know what happened during negotiations. What the public gets are prepared statements after the fact. Actually ‘the public’ is the wrong term…..it should be…..’the employer’. All negotiations should be open to the public verbatim….so that the ‘employer’ can see which side is asking too much or which side is not truly negotiating. Imagine a business where the employees want to negotiate and they do with a middle person but the employer is not allowed to know what is going on behind closed doors.

actually spoke to a few liberal members while I was away and from what they gathered (not sure how much they were told) the only part of the bill that will be repealed is the part about wage freezes.

And that is a good example of what I was talking about…..the employers…the taxpayers and the parents of children….have no idea what is really going on…..and we should!

[stevephinn2012]

Once again we don’t really, totally, completely, know what happened during negotiations. What the public gets are prepared statements after the fact. Actually ‘the public’ is the wrong term…..it should be…..’the employer’. All

Well some boards managed to settle,But speaking for here I did not hear 1 word that they were even "negotiating" They were given from Sept ,actually they knew contract expired so could have started a lot earlier (wifes contract expires next dec and they have already started preliminary descussions) till Dec 31st to reach an agreement.

There is NO reason why an agreement could not be reached by in 6 months to a year!

And again (SHOCKER) I agree with prior--This is PUBLIC money 90% (i think there are certain items that the public does not need to know about) of contract negotiations should be made public--from BOTH sides. Lets hear what the government has offered and what the union wants and let the people whose money they are spending have a say in the matter!

[prior-of-verity*shake-hands-with-your-devil]

Well some boards managed to settle

I believe that was the Catholic school boards only.

There is NO reason why an agreement could not be reached by in 6 months to a year!

Maybe, maybe not. It all depends on the ‘details’.

Also years ago when I was manager of a hotel we often had union ‘negotiations’ held in conference rooms. Most of them were corporations like Ford and the UAW. Most of the negotiators came from out of town so they also stayed at the hotel….and of course they ate….and drank in the hotel. It’s amazing what information and insight you get about people when they have had a few drinks in them. I had a public relations tab in the bar….and I called it the Truth Serum Tab. As the old saying goes…’I never met a drunk that lied’. What I found was that on one side you had the union and on the other side you had the corporation ….or the same as the government in the case of the teachers.

There were ‘issues’ to be dealt with but there was something else….the negotiators themselves. Negotiations were like going to war and the battlefield was a conference room table. None of the generals on either side wanted to lose…..it was a matter of ‘pride’. Both sides often told me…”we know how this is going to turn out”…..but yet they kept battling for weeks to come.

These guys enjoy the fighting because it is who they are. They’re like mechanics who are arguing over engine work. The problem is simple….the carburetor…but because they like their work and they’re getting well paid …..they want to rebuild the whole motor. The drawback is….they’re not paying for it.