Presentación de variables del modelo econométrico

During the course of your career you may experience professional difficulties that cannot be addressed or resolved through the collective agreement. Teachers and education workers have complex and varying roles in a litigious climate during a time of continual change and ongoing challenges.

ETFO professional relations staff provide information, advice, support and intervention for members who are experiencing professional difficulties covering a broad range of issues.

Staff in professional relations will advise you of your rights and responsibilities in matters such as:

• difficulties with students, staff, parents, administration;

• ethics and professionalism; • performance appraisals;

• Ontario College of Teachers/College of Early Childhood Educators complaints;

• Criminal or CAS related allegations; • conflict resolution;

• Employment Insurance;

• harassment and discrimination; • human rights issues;

• long-term disability;

• resignation and termination; • stress and sick leave; and

• Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB). This service is confidential and no action would be taken without the knowledge and consent of the member.

The School Boards Collective Bargaining Act, 2014, also known as Bill 122, mandates a system of two- tiered collective bargaining in the education sector that includes central bargaining (provincial) and local bargaining. ETFO has two central tables: a central table for negotiating central items for teachers and occasional teachers; and a central table for negotiating central items for Education Support Workers, that is ETFO Designated Early Childhood Educators (DECEs), Educational Support Personnel (ESPs) and Professional Support Personnel (PSPs).

ETFO staff negotiate at the central tables on behalf of teachers, occasional teachers, DECEs, ESPs and PSPs. Representatives of OPSBA and the Ministry negotiate on behalf of the school boards.

Under the legislation, once central items have been determined, local bargaining may commence and proceed concurrently with central bargaining. ETFO is the legislated bargaining agent for 76 locals across Ontario. Each bargaining unit has its own collective agreement.

ETFO collective bargaining staff provide direct assistance to each local to help achieve and

maintain strong collective agreements. They provide assistance with the preparation of local preliminary submissions to bargain in each district school board for improvements to each local’s collective agreement as well as provide:

• ongoing advice and strategies and bargaining positions;

members and members interested in collective bargaining;

• assistance in collective agreement enforcement including the processing of grievances;

• access to legal advice through collective bargaining staff; and

• production of resource documents, statistical and clausal analyses, trends in local negotiations and other materials relevant to collective bargaining. Collective agreements provide rights, entitlements and protection against arbitrary treatment by the employer. Whether the right, entitlement and protection is negotiated at the central table, or locally with each district school board, the following are a few items which would not have been achieved to date for teachers, occasional teachers, DECEs, ESPs and PSPs without collective bargaining:

salary, daily raTEs OF Pay and hOurly raTEs OF Pay

ETFO teacher members’ salaries are not set out in the legislation. In fact, teachers are exempt from the law which provides minimum wage protection to most other workers in this province. The fact that teachers’ salary rises each year, and that there is an experience grid which causes it to rise even further in your first ten or so years of teaching, is due to collective bargaining. For DECE, ESP and PSP members, while the legislation sets out a minimum wage, the negotiated improved hourly and daily rates of pay and the advancement on their grids is also due to collective bargaining.

insurEd bEnEFiTs

The coverage ETFO members receive for prescription glasses, prescription drugs, dental services, hearing aids and semi-private hospital room care is negotiated at the bargaining table. So, too, are their life insurance policies and long-term disability coverage.

WOrKday

The general framework in the Education Act with respect to school day and student instructional time leaves wide scope for collective bargaining. Therefore, the collective agreement can cover the instructional day, preparation time, supervision time and an overall limit to the working day.

WOrK assignmEnT

For all ETFO members, transfer, seniority and lay-off provisions are all subject to collective bargaining. So, too, are the rights of part-time ETFO members. For occasional teachers, the size of the occasional teacher roster, the right to remain on the occasional teacher roster and the district school board call-out system are all bargained items which ensure that occasional teachers have equitable work.

jOb sEcuriTy

One of the most important parts of the collective agreement is the “just cause” clause. Without it, ETFO members’ job security would be much less secure and the employer would be able to discharge or discipline ETFO members far more easily.

cOllEcTivE bargaining – an EvOlving PrOcEss

Collective bargaining, both centrally and locally, is an ongoing process which continually evolves, gaining more protections and better working conditions for ETFO members over time. Each and every ETFO member has a stake in reading and understanding the collective agreement, and in supporting the central and local bargaining process. Collective bargaining protects ETFO members’ rights.