Board, high school teachers reach tentative agreement

Posted November 26, 2012

Public high school teachers across the County were to resume the full slate of duties starting this morning after a contract deal was struck Friday night between The Simcoe County District School Board (SCDSB) and Ontario Secondary School Teachers' Federation (OSSTF) District 17 Teachers' Bargaining Unit.

The agreement must still be ratified by the Board's trustees and the members of OSSTF District 17 TeachersÕ Bargaining Unit. Details of the local package will not be released until after ratification. And it has to be approved by the Minister of Education, who had directed all boards to stay within the provincial framework of Bill 115 which imposes a two-year wage freeze, changes to the grid that boosts salary based on experience and seniority, while allowing newer teachers a small wage increase on that grid. Additionally, it provides for 10 sick days, down from 20, and an end to payouts of unused sick days at retirement - though it's expected to have grandfathering clauses.

"I am very pleased that we have been able to reach this tentative agreement on behalf of our students, their parents and guardians and the secondary teaching staff of the Simcoe County District School Board," noted Board chairman Rob North, trustee for Adjala-Tosorontio and Essa Township, in the press release announcing the deal. "Both negotiating teams worked very hard to reach this point and we very much appreciate their focus and efforts.Ó

Ian Tudor, OSSTF District 17 Teacher Bargaining Unit President, suggested "It is only because of the tremendous cooperation and respect we have for each other that this deal was able to come together.

The tentative agreement puts off any plans to lockout the high school teachers who had moved into legal strike position last Monday. Once this deal is approved, the Board's attention will turn to its elementary school teachers who will be in a similar strike position on Dec. 3.

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