Grand Erie Ratifies Local Deal with Elementary and Secondary Teachers

The Grand Erie District School Board ratified the Collective Agreement Settlement on local terms between the Grand Erie District School Board and the Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation (OSSTF), District 23.

“We are pleased to reach a deal with our secondary teachers,” said David Dean, Chair of the Board. “There were significant provincial issues that arose in reaching this deal, several of which originate with the complexity of the new format for negotiations. In Grand Erie we remained hopeful and focused on teaching and learning for the student.”

The Negotiating Committees of the Board and OSSTF District 23 reached a settlement on a Collective Agreement for the period of September 1, 2014 to August 31, 2017. Secondary teachers ratified the Collective Agreement on January 7, 2016.

“We respect our teachers and education support workers and value their work with students,” said Dean.

The Board also ratified the Collective Agreement Settlement on local terms between the Grand Erie District School Board and the Grand Erie Elementary Teachers’ Federation Bargaining Unit, as well as with the Grand Erie Elementary Occasional Teachers’ Bargaining Unit for the period of September 1, 2014 up to and including August 31, 2017.

Grand Erie District School Board also approved the additional 2015-16 Professional Activity (PA) Day on February 26, 2016. The PA Day applies to both elementary and secondary schools and families are asked to plan alternate arrangements for their children on that day.

“We are pleased that the Board has ratified a local agreement with the elementary teachers,” said David Dean, Chair of the Board.

“The Board’s negotiating committee worked hard to reach a fair settlement with the elementary teachers’ employee groups.”

A new two-tiered structure of labour negotiations for education in Ontario requires central and local settlements to be reached before the deal is considered final. All employee groups in Grand Erie have received a central deal at the provincial level.

In addition to a local deal ratified with the 1053 permanent elementary teachers and 487 occasional elementary teachers, Grand Erie ratified a local deal on January 11, 2016 with the Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation (OSSTF), District 23, representing 658 permanent secondary teachers.

“We continue to work through the process with our other local bargaining units in Grand Erie,” said Scott Sincerbox, Superintendent of Human Resources. “We remain hopeful that all local deals will be reached shortly and ratified with the central agreements.”