Teachers push back: 'McGuinty Mondays' could impact volunteer activities
Tuesday, September 11, 2012 by: SooToday.com Staff
NEWS RELEASE
ELEMENTARY TEACHERS' FEDERATION OF ONTARIO
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Elementary teachers to 'take a pause' on voluntary activities
Will also participate in 'McGuinty Mondays' in response to draconian legislation
TORONTO (September 11, 2012) - Ontario's 76,000 public elementary teachers and education professionals are being urged to 'take a pause' on voluntary activities in response to today's draconian legislation that strips them of their democratic rights.
"Given this extraordinary and unwarranted legislation, we are advising our members to 'take a pause' on the voluntary activities they undertake in schools," said Sam Hammond, president of the Elementary Teachers' Federation of Ontario (ETFO). "While they will remain focussed on teaching students and ensuring student safety, teachers and other educational professionals will need to consider very carefully what they can afford to do outside of their instructional responsibilities."
ETFO is also introducing 'McGuinty Mondays' in protest of the legislation.
Teachers and education professionals will be urged not to participate in school-based or system level meetings of any kind nor participate in regional Ministry meetings on Mondays for the foreseeable future.
This is the initial step in an escalating protest strategy, according to Hammond.
"We do not take this action lightly. Ontarians and the government need to know that you cannot take away the democratic rights of working people simply to fulfill a political party's agenda or ideology," said Hammond.
"Collective bargaining rights are central to ensuring that working people are treated with dignity, respect, and fairness in the workplace. If the premier can get away with abolishing our rights, we need to ask 'who's next?'
ETFO and others also plan to challenge the legislation in court.
The Elementary Teachers' Federation of Ontario represents 76,000 elementary public school teachers and education professionals across the province and is the largest teacher federation in Canada.
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PlasmaX 9/11/2012 3:04:25 PM ReportMaybe teachers shouldn't take advantage of their democratic rights by threatening to strike every 2 years. They know that they hold leverage over the government because no one wants to see their kids miss out on part of their education.
Justin Tetreault 9/11/2012 3:14:36 PM ReportLet's be clear. It's not about the right to strike. Teachers are upset because the government is not letting them bank sick days anymore. That's what this is about and what they want to strike over. Sick days are for when you are sick, not for a bonus. And now they want to take it out on children. Way to take the high road.
LaughingCat 9/11/2012 3:27:11 PM Report"...education professionals are being urged to 'take a pause' on voluntary activities in response to today's draconian legislation that strips them of their democratic rights." Wow! Regardless of my position on this story seeing this Editorial in disguise as a proper news story is enough to garner a reaction and this response. Soo Today Staff are credited for writing this, and if one of the staff did in fact pen this then they either need to go back to school or at least stop calling themselves a journalist. Opinion is another section. I prefer the news to state the facts without adjectives such as 'draconian' and specious declarations of a reporter's view as to what constitute 'democratic rights'. Soo Today needs to take a lesson from Joe Friday and print 'just the facts'. I'll form my own opinions.
geterdun 9/11/2012 3:33:12 PM ReportLiberal Dictatorship will FAIL!!!!!!!!!!
KFM 9/11/2012 3:47:28 PM ReportThe governent has succeded in diverting the puplic attention from the millions wasted in thier long line of miss steps, now they will pay millions in court costs from our pockets to try to defend this assault on the working person, what company will not pick up on this legislation and use it to strip steel plant employies, auto workers or any other group? Waste of time and money and firing up the public for no reason but to take the hear off themselves.
RonBes 9/11/2012 3:53:24 PM ReportWhile we're being clear, the McGuinty government is also pushing to reduce the overall number of sick days teachers get. It is about sick days, but it is also about collective bargaining and striking rights.
This is about the systematic removal of the protections that workers have fought long and hard to achieve. Blood was spilled to achieve better pay, better working conditions, and fair treatment by employers, and now those achievements are being legislated away, jurisdiction by jurisdiction, all in the name of "balancing the books." It's happening all over, and it's not right. You can balance budgets without stripping away the rights of working class people.
I often hear people talk about how 'easy' the teachers have it, but if you walk a day in their shoes, you will change your tune, I promise. That, and the only reason they have what they do is because of unions and job actions taken to fight for better conditions. I often hear people say, "I don't have it that good, why should they?" The question they should be asking is why they don't have working conditions that good.
I have also heard, "what I have is good enough, they should be willing to settle for the same." Leaving aside for the moment why they would rather drag someone else down than seek to better their own lot, even non-unionized workers only have it as good as they do because of gains made by unions.
Sooner or later we will all be left without rights and things will be back to the way they were at the start of the industrial revolution. This is just the tip of the iceberg.
cdnprincess 9/11/2012 3:57:57 PM Report@LaughingCat
This is a press release, not a Sootoday article. Sootoday did not "pen this" themselves. The teachers union released this article.
DOMAR 9/11/2012 4:24:06 PM ReportT
3rd times a charm 9/11/2012 4:29:21 PM ReportI couldn't have said it better myself RonBes...good job!
W. Yote 9/11/2012 4:30:20 PM ReportOnly in the public service can employees get away with this kind of behaviour! Not attending work meetings?! This is their job, as should extracurricular activities be. Who goes to work at 9, is off by 330 and only does that for 9 months of the year + gets paid double the average income of most Canadians??
There is no way anybody needs as many sick days as teachers get for the weeks in a year they actually work. That is what programs like long term disability are for.
Most teachers have no idea what life in the private sector is like. It should be a requirement to live in the real world for 10 years before your allowed to teach.
Why don't other Canadians fight for the same rights? Because we in the private sector realize we would be in the same sinking boat as Greece right now if we did! And plus, we need to pay for the public SERVANTS big fat salaries!
I think I will send my kids to private school, where the teachers are paid less, get less benefits but the education is better!! If only I could choose whether to support the public system with my tax dollars.
DOMAR 9/11/2012 4:33:05 PM Report What a joke. My opinion over paid underworked and the whole bit. Yet they still complain. Bet the average worker would like half there time off, half there annual salary, a taste of there pension plan and half there health care benefits. I truly can't believe how many teachers complain about there jobs. What a shame. Lastly really have a problem with retired teachers on full pensions double dipping!! I seen way to many young teachers who graduated from university with over $50k student loan debt and can't work in there field because no there jobs are taken by these retired teachers double dippling.
iLash 9/11/2012 4:43:52 PM ReportAm I reading these comments right? Teachers do NOT make a whole lot! I would like to see the figures people THINK they make. Unless they are older teachers who have been teaching for years and years they are not making a lot of money. They should be paid a lot more than they are! I deal with my kids I can't imagine dealing with a class of 25 students, all different personalities, learning levels/disabilities, family issues...the list goes on and on! A LOT of teachers make lower middle class income!!! Get your facts straight people.
W. Yote 9/11/2012 5:06:08 PM ReportTeacher start between 45,709-55,404 and after only 10 years are between 76,021-94,707 according to the collective agreement.
The average HOUSEHOLD (2 or more ppl) income in 2009 (latest numbers by statscan) 63,800.
I'd say relatively this is LOADS of money. Especially considering most people start with 2 weeks vacation.
muf 9/11/2012 5:54:17 PM ReportWell said RonBes. W.Yote, I agree to many sick days that`s it. Perhaps you should send your kids to private school because you will never be satisfied with the public school system.
W. Yote 9/11/2012 6:11:46 PM ReportNo doubt the public system could improve by leaps and bounds but my point is that higher teacher salaries/benefits does not translate to better education. I went to public school. My issue is teacher attitudes, their sense of entitlement, and their disconnect with reality.
muf 9/11/2012 6:30:41 PM ReportAttitudes,sense of entitlement and disconnect with reality is not limited to the teachers. It`s everywhere
wow_guy 9/11/2012 6:54:12 PM Report@ W. Yote - Listen. A teacher nor any other professional should be referred to as the "average Ontario worker". Much like you or I, they get paid a salary for their job. Their breaks that most are so fond of pointing out, are in fact legislated breaks by a system that has existed for longer than I have been around. IF the government mandated that kids go to school all year, teachers would work all year, for the same amount of money. They don't have the paid summer off, their pay is prorated for a whole year, meaning they earn less each paycheck then what their "hours" account for. Then we as the public expect them to coach our kids teams, stay after school to speak with us when we can meet with them and mark our kids homework. IN addition, they go in on weekends and holidays, all in excess of their "hours". They chose this career and get both the advantages and disadvantages that come with the job. You didn't choose that career, but don't begrudge someone who did, especially when you clearly don't understand the whole situation.
prodigal son 9/11/2012 7:16:35 PM ReportW. Yote - Maybe after teachers take a pause on volunteering their own time to organize and coach sports, host tournaments, establish after school clubs, organize and conduct field trips, conduct choirs, put on assemblies (and the list could go on and on), you'll grasp how much they truly do and appreciate them more. They are a bargain.
By the way, what 'volunteer' activities are mandated by your employer? Does your employer force you to coach on the weekends? I'm just curious. You seem to think employers should be able to force you to take on extracurriculars on your own time. I'd love to hear all about your employer mandated volunteer work.
I'm In 9/11/2012 7:17:36 PM ReportIf I were a teacher I'd suggest to my union to have McGuinty days Monday to Friday, not just Mondays. Someone has to pay for McGuinty's Plan so I guess its the kids which I am sure the teachers don't want to do, but when your rights are taken away its time to protest. "WAY TO GO TEACHERS UNION"
prodigal son 9/11/2012 7:21:21 PM ReportJustin T, you should really speak with a member of ETFO or OSSTF to understand the root of the issue. Your simplistic viewpoint of this is actually really quite humorous to people who understand the issue. It's reads like a 14 year old boy's take on the issue. Just saying.
wow_guy 9/11/2012 7:28:26 PM Report@ Domar. It's "their" not "there". I can tell education is a priority for you..
RonBes 9/11/2012 7:30:20 PM ReportYeah, those figures for teachers look pretty good. Most of them don't see that much money though, because those numbers assume full-time positions, which are few and far between these days, unless you know someone on the board, have very in-demand qualifications (like French), or are willing to move to remote locations (like Sioux Lookout, Shining Tree, Moosonee, etc).
No, in reality, most of them end up with part-time positions, if they can even manage to make it off the supply teacher list and into a long-term occasional (filling in for someone's maternity leave, usually). After you've done an LTO or two, you *might* get a crack at a part-time position. This typically involves teaching a class or two per day, sometimes 3, for which you get between .3 and .6 of a normal teacher's *entry level* salary. If you get lucky, you get a .75 or .8.
You are still expected to do all your normal upgrading courses and professional development.
Oh, and did I mention the part about how teachers are now expected to supply most of their own materials, such as paper and writing utensils because the school board won't provide these necessities anymore? Yeah. Cutbacks, you know. Gotta tighten our belts.
That would be like your employer not supplying you with the materials needed for work. "Sorry, Joe, you have to buy all your own welding rods for this project, and have to kick in for 50% of the structural steel. Cutbacks, you know." or, "Mary, due to belt-tightening measures at the company, you are now required to bring your own computer to the office to do the budget on. Oh, and you'll need a new multiline business phone with fax capability. And while we're on the subject of faxing, we're out of paper and toner again, and it's your turn this week, so you are going to have to pony up for the next couple reams and cartridges, mkay?"
Completely ridiculous.
As for those calling the sick days unnecessary, I doubt most of you could get by without them while spending the school year (winter in particular) exposed to that many vectors for infection, viruses, diseases, and bacteria without getting sick. To say nothing of the exposure to lice, fleas, and other such things in some of our poorer neighbourhoods.
It's actually pretty tragic to watch as our school systems are gutted like this.
Norm 9/11/2012 8:01:30 PM ReportTeachers do just fine as far as wages and benefits are concerned. They are important, at the same time not all teachers are good teachers. Many are good teachers with lots of energy, some not so much. A lot of people are retired in this baby boomer day and age, where does all this tax money come from to pay these workers? Teachers can work and be happy they have a decent paying job. Multitudes of them have partners working, which gives many two pay cheques. Teachers, smile and be glad you can work in one of the most rewarding careers anyone could ever imagine
speed7 9/11/2012 8:04:56 PM ReportUhhh teachers should not take advantage of there democratic rights. If that one is ever the most moronic statements of them all! They do not want to hold leverage of over the government Moron! More like the other way around. Your kids havent been disrupted at all. What is your freakin problem then.
Ron Bes you hit the nail on the head. People have no friggin idea what it is like to work as a teacher. All you experts have no clue. Ron is right either you cry and complain about your miscomings in your own career or you question why you arent making comparable wages and cry about that too! A teacher has taken great sacrifices to be where they are. Teahers, make up a portion of the middle working class , So guess what.... ding dong. They contribute to the economy but your government has taken the money and foolishly spent it. That is why we are in trouble today. It has nothing to do with teachers punishing children , its about the government dismantling your childrens education MORON! Your government squandered tax money and now looking at ways to make the working class teacher help pay for it. What else do you think the government is doing Fool! They are interupting your childrens education not teachers. Teachers work very hard they give alot of extra time which is not paid off the clock and they are the reason your children are well educated and well prepared for life as an adult. If teachers want to fight for something they have EVERY RIGHT to do so. It wont matter soon because our government is aiming to dismantle unions as well and we all wont have any protection as workers in this country anymore. They also will get rid of the working middle class which is what they want so they can make the beurocrates happy and canada will be maily supported by the poor working class and the rich. Capitalism in its true form. Only the beaurocrates will benefit. Ask yourself this.. why do you never see the government attack the school board administrators or beurocrates who are paid salaries that are exponentially beyond the scope of any teacher. You know the ones making in excess of 200,000 a year salary. You dont see that at all do you. That is where the cuts needed to take place.
Dictionary 9/11/2012 8:05:00 PM ReportJustin T. is a liberal patsy (despite the fact that he denies it).
And it's nice to see the liberals helping the NDP's next election campaign. Organized labour is becoming leery of the centre/right and their attack on collective bargaining.
Norm 9/11/2012 8:06:27 PM ReportRonB's every job you mentioned sounded like the private sector. Like I posted above, don't forget who pays the public sector's wages, fickle government or not.
muf 9/11/2012 8:08:42 PM ReportRonBes, altho I agree with your points of view ,the accumulation of sick days over the years is a perk they can do without. Use it or lose it. The idea of accumalating till the end just proves that they don`t really need that many days.
RonBes 9/11/2012 8:46:25 PM ReportIf losing the ability for the sick days to carry over were all that is at stake here, that would be fine. I'd consider that a concession worth making, if it meant that the teachers could go back to doing what they spent a lot of time and money training for - teaching your kids.
However, it's not *just* about carryover days; the government also wants to cut the number of sick days allowed in half. Perhaps they don't use all they have in a given year (though, some might), but we haven't seen a really bad flu season in a while. What about then? EI? Don't make me laugh; that's been gutted, too, and comes too little, too late for most working families.
This has other trickle-down effects as well that most people don't consider. With less sick days, that's less work for supply teachers, who often struggle to make ends meet, and have to take on other part time work to keep the bills paid while they hope for an opportunity to get an LTO or part-time "permanent" teaching post.
Speed7 touched on a good point - when the cutbacks come, they always slash from the bottom, never from the top, where the big bucks are made. Why is that? Easy - the decision makers at the top are the ones deciding who gets cut. Of course it's never going to be *them*. Maybe time to reconsider that. It's the same as a politician voting themselves a pay raise. Conflict of interest.
As for Norm, I'm sorry, I've worked in the private sector all my life (unfortunately for me) and as much as they can be cheap and whatnot, I've never been asked to supply my own materials or pay out of pocket for company expenses - that's not how it works, which is why I pointed it out as being so ridiculous. Maybe if you're the owner of a business, you do that, but not Joe Blow employee. If an employee is required to shell out, they get reimbursed. Teachers are expected to make up school board shortcomings with their own money and do not get reimbursed.
muf 9/11/2012 8:58:32 PM ReportUsing up all their sick days then having to go on EI ....Really ?? Have their union negotiators not heard of short term disability and long term ? I`ll bet they have and if it`s not in the contract now somebody has dropped their text book.
J_B 9/11/2012 9:03:01 PM ReportI am sick and tired of listening to teachers complain. They get summers off, a pension to die for, and work straight days. They should be just lucky to have a job. I say we should pay them minimum wage, heck lets pay them babysitters wages! Yea, that's it baby sitters wages,$25.00 a kid per day, and they only work 194 days a year! We're not gonna pay them for weekends. Let's see that's $25.00 times 25 kids, so that's $625.00 per day at 194 days which makes......$121,250.00 per year.
Oops! how much do we really pay these guys.
With regards to sick days, imagine your employer telling you he was going to give you sick days in lieu of wages (that's rather than money in case you're not following this). And then 30 years later upon retirement you could cash them in for a fraction of what they are worth. Then 27 years into your career he cancels the agreement cause he thinks you are greedy. I don't see how teachers could possibly get upset about that?
catmom 9/11/2012 9:08:37 PM ReportThe gov't fails to mention that many school boards, including the ADSb, no loner allow teachers to be paid out for unused sick days. This policy has been in effect for over 10 years. I worked for 15 years in the private sector and hardly ever was too ill to work. As a teacher, I have been afflicted with more illnesses than I can remember, from pink eye to stomach flu to H1N1. Working closely with over 100 students on a daily basis exposes you to countless germs. My wages are fair, as I completed 5 years of university as well as 7 professional development courses (at a cost of $1000 each).
The most troubling aspect of Bill 115 is not the wage freeze or the elimination of sick day banks but that it completely removed our right to bargain collectively (which is guaranteed in our Canadian Charter of Rights & Freedoms).
All public employees should sleep with one eye open, because your collective bargaining rights will be removed next. Well, except for the MPPs - they have a great pension plan after only 5 years! What are Dalton and his minions giving up to fight the deficit, anyway? Nothing, as far as I know ...
speed7 9/11/2012 9:09:21 PM ReportJB , teachers are not complaining if you chooose to be jealous of a proffesional who has spared a huge expense to become a teacher then get off your ass and be one too! I wanna hear you mouth shoot off then.
speed7 9/11/2012 9:17:47 PM ReportOh and JB get off your ass and babysit your own kids. What the hell do you want a teacher or a baby sitter cause you cant have both Moron! Just like the young generation demanding everything ... yeah baby sit my kidd cause I wanna stay home and play video gams and cheat the system while everyone else works hard for a living! You think they should work for minimun wage .... then dont cry when your child has no teacher. Like I said before you try teaching yourself. Till then get a brain!
speed7 9/11/2012 9:23:36 PM Reportmuf I could be wrong but I dont think they have paid long or short term dissability. I would have to check into that first but I beleive that is the reason for the sick days incase or serious illness.
DOMAR 9/11/2012 9:36:49 PM ReportHey wow guy. Sorry about my their and there. My grammar teacher was horrible and way over paid.
Intruder 9/11/2012 10:09:29 PM ReportSpeed7 you are correct. Teachers have no short or long term disability. Their accumulated sick days are for both short and long term illness or injuries sustained off the job.
School boards realized it was cheaper to provide sick days.
If you buy an isurance plan to cover illness or injury,typically the emoployer pays about 90 percent of the premium and the employee pays about 10 percent.
Only teachers who were hired before about 1986 can bank sick days and if they have enough banked at retirement can retire one year early and recieve one year at full pay.
speed7 9/11/2012 10:11:51 PM Reportdomar where do you work then... maybe your over paid too!
speed7 9/11/2012 10:24:19 PM ReportIntruder thanks for the clarification I thought so. Well if they dont receive short or long term dissablility then why is everyone getting there panties tied in a knot over about.
I dont really know if they can buy the insurance and the employer pays for it. I will have to check on on that one.
People do get sick sometimes its serious... Would you not be pissed if the government was planning on taking them away. I would. Especially if I dont have paid dissability leave.
I would`nt bank on the retiring early senario since they are removing sick days in the first place.
XtraKrusty 9/11/2012 10:50:31 PM ReportSpeed7 I am getting sick of you insulting everyone who doesnt agree with you with ignorant and childish insults who do you think you are??. I have reported many of your insults to other users to Soo Today not only from this article but many others. hopefully that will be the end of you! P.S I see you still can't spell worth a darn.
W. Yote 9/11/2012 11:39:40 PM ReportHaha. A lot of crying teachers on here!
BTW I'm not questioning the plight of the supply teacher, but that also is proof that the coin is a little too shiny. No one wants to leave and everyone wants in!
Where's your local MPP on this one? He's one of you guys no? A former teacher? From what I hear he was too preoccupied with becoming a politician to do much teaching anyways. Sat at his desk planning his political career while collecting his fat teacher salary.
I feel so bad for the teachers who have to pay 5000 for their pd courses in order to make an extra 20k for the next 20 years.
I'd also LOVE to see teachers willingly work all year if the school year was extended! Ha! And for the same wage! Can you imagine the belly aching!?
Pay for stuff out of your own pocket? Well paper and crayons aren't quite the cost of welding rods and structural steel but I won't hold it against you because how would a teacher know that. In the end even if you add up all the expenses SOME teachers may incur and figure their hourly wage they still have nothing to complain about. I've paid for stuff out of pocket, some times reimbursed, sometimes not, but its for the sake of getting the job done.
No doubt some committed teachers pull their own weight, but they struggle to pull the collective weight of the others who drag their feet screaming about money and time off.
The only negative affect this will have on education is teachers attitudes and them taking their frustration out in ways that will hurt the children, eg not attending meetings. What do you think is supposed to be discussed at meetings? Probably stuff pertinent to educating our children, so wipe the tears away and do your damn job. Anyone else would be fired for a move like that.
W. Yote 9/11/2012 11:54:49 PM ReportProdigal- I work salary, and like many in the private sector I do what is needed to get the job done. No OT pay even if that means 12 hour days and weekends here and there when its busy. That's on top of community service volunteering.
I say put it in the contract that teachers need so many hours of extracurricular... Yes on top of the 4 hrs of classroom and 2 hrs of grading and prep (even less if averaged over the whole calendar year).
RonBes 9/12/2012 1:11:03 AM ReportNice cheapshot there, Yote, but I'm not a teacher, and I do know what those things cost, and while you were at it you managed to insult all the hardworking shop teachers out there as well. Despite your other words, your contempt for the entire profession shows through loud and clear.
You really have no idea what you are saying. You like to talk tough, but you have no clue what it's like to be a teacher.
Those out of pocket expenses for PD courses don't mean you make an extra 20k for example. Those are required just to keep current, the same as most professions. The only way to get to the big bucks is to continue earning advanced degrees and gaining additional qualifications (as well as putting in the years of hard work and service). In this regard it is no different from any other professional job.
It's easy to talk tough when it doesn't affect you, but next time maybe it will affect you. I suppose you'll just suck it up, eh tough guy?
The way you talk, you sound like a small business owner, which makes your argument a little disingenuous. Salary indeed. If I'm wrong on that, then you must be well-paid yourself to put in hours like that just to "get the job done." If you aren't either of those things, I suppose that at least explains the bitterness.
W. Yote 9/12/2012 8:31:38 AM ReportNot contempt for the profession as a whole just for those that think they work harder and deserve more than everyone else.
I happen to be very close with people in the teaching profession that will admit candidly that teachers have it too good. That proves there are some unspoiled apples out there, most probably just too scared to speak up and say enough is enough
Not sure which small business owners make straight salary? I think they would be happy to receive ANY guaranteed income.
As for myself I make a decent living, not quite anything like the salary and benefits of a teacher though. If everyone were to fight for compensation like that there wouldn't be an industry or business left in this province... then who would pay the taxes to support the public servants? It will all come crumbling down eventually if these people don't give their heads a good shake!
pokey 9/12/2012 8:55:59 AM ReportFor those complaining. Quit your day job go back to school and become a teacher.
speed7 9/12/2012 12:02:57 PM Reportkrusty I am growing tired you your racist, ignorant imflammatory remarks towards teachers not only are you making people in the proffesion look bad, you are a descriminate with a rude attitude. You have this attitude towards people who oppose your comments on this board! You constantly picked on me call me a stupid speller. Even when I apologized back about it and explained I was typing on a small keyboard... Dont worry, I saved that lovely message back to me. Karma will bite you back and it will hurt!
catmom 9/12/2012 12:13:25 PM ReportAnyone who works for a union, needs to be very concerned about our governent unilaterally removing our Charter right to bargain collectively. Teachers today, who will it be tomorrow?
BTW, W.Yote, I spent over $7000 of my own money on professional development courses, which would have increased my salary close to $3000 per year, not
$20 000. Thanks to the "grid freeze" I will not ever collect on my investment.
You sure have a lot to say but most of your facts and figures are far from accurate.
speed7 9/12/2012 12:21:25 PM ReportAlso krusty, please do not respond to any of my posts in the future. If I see one more or your postings with decriminatory racist remarks towards teachers again... I am reporting you. Have'nt you noticed, most on this board have been opposing your remarks? Why are you paying close attention to mine then?
11:23 9/12/2012 1:03:50 PM ReportI am a support staff at a school, no benefits, no sick time, no pension, no long term or short term. I get paid for two hours of work per day, at a reasonable but not abundant amount, and work my ass off. It so happens that I am grouped with the OSSTF, and am mandated back to work. I will not get a raise for two years, which is perfectly fine with me.
What is not fine, and should not be fine with anyone, is the government rolling in and taking away my reps. ability to negotiate a fair collective agreement on my behalf.
All the moans and groans from people here who complain about rich teachers should understand that its not only teachers grouped in this, its EA's Caretakers, Noontime Aides, Clerical, and Office.
I'm sure it doesn't make as glamourus an insult when the "rich teachers" aren't first and formost in your mind.
W. Yote 9/12/2012 1:16:06 PM ReportCatmom, numbers are straight from osstf collective agreement. Elementary is slightly different but very similar. Sounds like you were either under qualified to receive top group salary or chose the wrong pd courses! Wish I had the summers to take some courses or work towards a phd. Not that i would be guaranteed any pay raise or reimbursed for my own professional development. Raises should be performance based not guaranteed because you took an online course.
speed7 9/12/2012 1:16:36 PM ReportBravo to the last comment. It's just turned into a teacher freak fest and so sickening to have to hear the same foolish lies and usless comments over and over again!!
speed7 9/12/2012 1:26:35 PM ReportYote who told you that teachers are not evaluated? Cause they are? I know this as I have friends who are teachers especially in the elementary system. The courses are not for getting a better salary your seniorty takes care of that. As it should be no? The courses are manditory. They have to upgrade their knowledge through their whole lifeime employed as a teacher and it's all at the cost of a teachers own expense not the schools or the boards or the government. Please get your facts straight.
speed7 9/12/2012 2:16:34 PM Reportyote you wish you had the summer off to upgrade yourself with courses? Try using all your earned vacation time to do that then? Somehow I think you would object to that one yourself. What do you do when you are on vacation? Now, I am curious? Once again you facts are'nt straight!
catmom 9/12/2012 2:46:44 PM ReportMaybe W. Yote, you should go to politician school - you sure can shovel the #$@%! Your facts and figures are completely wrong, regardless of where you claim to have read them. I agree that I have a great job, with wonderful benefits and a generous salary. You don't seem to understand that the government unilaterally removing a union's right to bargain collectively is unprecedented in a free and democratic society. Teachers in Syria and Iran don't get to bargain collectively, either.
SipKing 9/12/2012 4:18:41 PM ReportHOLDING CHILDREN FOR RANSOME, give me a break, "I Love My Students" or "Passionate about Education" or "We care about the children" MY FOOT. Cancelling a football game only hurts the Students... Perhaps the government should use EQAO results to benchmark the teachers, hummm now that would be interesting. I can see why home schooling is on the rise....
I said it once I'll say it again, let's have just ONE board, do we still need to fund Catholic schools with tax dollars, and yes I am Catholic
speed7 9/12/2012 5:13:19 PM Reportcatwoman, yote is playing with you. A speratist of either the batchewana or garden river kind. Now he is bashing teachers. Now so all this doesnt make him a racist at all now towards teachers? Hmmm ....I guess he has special privledges? He doesnt know anything about teaching. Dont bother responding to his nonsense.
speed7 9/12/2012 5:19:45 PM ReportSip King , perhaps the government should foot the bill for football games and extra curricular actives in general ? Cause they sure werent footing it before? Teachers donated time and money towards these things....for a hell of bargain, try for free. I doubt the board did, I bet funds were raised through charities in the school but I am not 100% sure. Maybe someone in the field can clarify this for me?
