Ontario public elementary teachers to continue protest
CBC News
Posted: Feb 28, 2013 12:37 PM ET
Last Updated: Mar 1, 2013 2:00 PM ET
Public elementary school teachers in Ontario have decided they will continue their protest and will not restart extracurricular activities.
A statement released by their union, the Elementary Teachers' Federation on Ontario, on Thursday said, "While we have experienced a marked and welcome change in the Wynne government's approach to addressing its relationship with teachers, this has yet to translate into real change."
Because of this "ETFO’s advice regarding voluntary/extra-curricular activities remains unchanged."
The grade school teachers decided on the tactic as a way of showing their displeasure with Bill 115, which was passed by the provincial legislature earlier this year.
ETFO president Sam Hammond said the union is waiting for the government to show its commitment to change before bringing back extracurriculars.
"Beyond the initial commitments made by the government team to listen, engage in positive dialogue and explore a more inclusive process for future bargaining rounds, it is going to take real actions to regain the confidence of members in light of the very flawed process during 2012 that resulted in the loss of members’ fundamental democratic rights.”
The bill imposed a contract on teachers in Ontario, denying them the opportunity to negotiate a deal with the province.
Last week, the Ontario Secondary Schools Teachers Federation (OSSTF) said union leaders had agreed to "suspend political action regarding voluntary activities" and urged its members to resume extracurriculars.
However, the OSSTF said it would be up to each individual teacher to decide how to act, and many teachers do not want to resume due to anger over imposed contracts.
Ontario Education Minister Liz Sandals said in a statement the govenment is "disappointed that ETFO has decided not to resume the voluntary provision of extracurricular activities at this time."
Share Tools
Latest Sudbury News Headlines
- Elliot Lake mall roof collapse inquiry starts Monday
- Monday will see the start of the public inquiry into the deadly Elliot Lake mall collapse which claimed the lives of two women and injured dozens of others. more »
- USW Local 2020 votes on 'fair deal' with Xstrata
- A union staff representative says he expects a recent deal cut between members of United Steelworkers Local 2020 and Xstrata Nickel in Sudbury will be approved at a Friday night vote. more »
- Community policing may ease residents's concerns, chief says
- People in Sudbury's Minnow Lake neighborhood met Thursday night to talk about how proposed housing developments might affect crime rates in their community. more »
- Survey shows northern Ont. wants spending on higher education
- A recent survey by the Ontario Confederation of University Faculty Associations says people in northern Ontario don't want money taken out of university coffers to balance provincial government budgets. more »
Top News Headlines
- Egypt's politician skewer, testing the limits of post-revolution satire
- Meet Egypt's Jon Stewart, a former heart surgeon turned late-night TV host whose biting satire has not endeared him to the country's political class. But, as Nahlah Ayed reports, comedian Bassem Youssef may be the revolution's real star. more »
- Quebec papal contender 'ready' but wary of media spotlight
- Quebec Cardinal Marc Ouellet talks about his life and the possibility of becoming the next pope in an exclusive interview with CBC's Chief Correspondent Peter Mansbridge. more »
- B.C. Liberals emergency cabinet meeting underway
- Eighteen Liberal cabinet ministers have gathered to meet with Premier Christy Clark at an emergency cabinet meeting in Vancouver. more »
- Body of man found in home where police officer was killed
- The lifeless body of a man has been found inside a home in northern Quebec, ending a 17-hour standoff that left one police officer dead and another seriously injured on Saturday night. more »

