'Business as usual' at elementary schools, despite lack of contract

CLARINGTON -- It'll be "business as usual" at local public elementary schools this fall, despite talk of possible job action stemming from teachers not having a contract.

"Any talk of job action or strike (a) holds no value because no one knows what the future's going to hold, and (b) it's premature," said Dave Wing, president of the local unit of the Elementary Teachers' Federation of Ontario (ETFO).

Last week, the Province issued an ultimatum to teachers, indicating they had until Nov. 30 to sign contracts offering a three-per-cent raise in each of the next four years, or face a two-per-cent increase for each of the next two years.

But pay isn't the issue, Mr. Wing said.

"It's working conditions," he said, noting teachers are much more concerned with matters like assessment and preparation time than about salary. And teachers' working conditions directly impact students, he said.

"I always maintain that the working conditions for teachers are the learning conditions for students," he said.

The Province has a greater hand in bargaining than in the past, though local issues are still to be hammered out by union locals and school boards. Those two groups in the Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board have talks scheduled, Mr. Wing said.

"Right now, we're in negotiations," he said. "When you're bargaining in good faith, you hope for a positive outcome."

In the interim, it's "business as usual this fall," Mr. Wing said, maintaining it's far too soon to discuss any potential job actions.

Local teachers are being told, "It's business as usual, and don't respond to rumours" of job action, said the local union president.

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With files from the Torstar News Service