PHASE 3 & 4 WORK-TO-RULE STRIKE PROTOCOLS – FAQS

ETFO has been bargaining with the Ford government and school board bargaining associations for over five months, and there has been virtually no progress at the bargaining table on substantive issues. During our last bargaining session on December 19, 2019, ETFO was advised in clear and unequivocal terms that the government’s bargaining team:

• does not have the authority to negotiate any additional funding to deal with classroom violence. This is a message that our concerns about how growing classroom violence is affecting students, our members and the learning environment are of no concern to the Ford government and will not be addressed.
• has not accepted ETFO’s proposal that funding needs to be renewed for special education and specialist teaching positions to support early years special needs, Indigenous students, “at risk” students and English Language Learners. This means hundreds of specialist teaching positions our most vulnerable elementary students need, and that were cut this year by the Ford government, will not be restored.
• does not have the authority to entertain discussions about Kindergarten, Junior or Intermediate class size changes. This means large class sizes, which negatively affect the learning environment of elementary students, are here to stay.
• does not have the authority to negotiate professional time for ETFO’s DECE, ESP and PSP members. This is a message from the Ford government that the skills and professionalism of our education worker members is not respected, or even considered worthy of discussion.
• does not have the authority to negotiate a cost of living increase to compensation and benefits. This will result in a significant reduction of members’ benefits, as well as an erosion of members’ salaries, over the life of the next collective agreement.

In addition, the government’s bargaining team:

• continues to demand that ETFO teacher and occasional teacher members agree to up to $150 million in reductions to public elementary education spending;
• continues to demand that ETFO remove any language in local collective agreements that puts limits on elementary class sizes;
• has not accepted ETFO’s proposal that the current Kindergarten model be maintained; and
• continues to propose the elimination of fair and transparent hiring practices for occasional teachers.

Negotiating with this government has become an exercise in frustration. There does not seem to be any interest on the government’s part to arrive at a fair agreement.

ETFO members have tried to send a message through our current WTR that the government needs to get serious about bargaining a fair agreement that’s good for our members, for students and for public education. The Ford government refuses to hear the message, which leaves us with no choice but to escalate strike action.

Teachers and education workers derive great satisfaction from connecting with students through field trips, coaching teams, running clubs, etc. We love participating in these activities as much as our students do. We also recognize the value field trips and voluntary extracurricular activities bring to students’ educational experience.

But we also recognize the core educational experience of our students rests on:

• being able to learn in safe classroom environments that are free from violence;
• having reasonable class sizes where they can get the one-on-one attention they need from teachers and education workers; and
• ensuring there are enough trained professionals on staff to support the needs of our most vulnerable students.

In addition, it is the knowledge, skill and professionalism of ETFO’s teachers and education worker members that have made Ontario’s elementary public education system one of the best in the world. What our members bring to their classrooms and schools every day has value, and that value needs to be recognized. That means maintaining our members’ salaries and benefits – not eroding them, which is what the Ford government wants to do.

For months, ETFO has worked very hard at the bargaining table to make this government understand the implications of their refusal to bargain in a manner that respects our members and supports students. They will not listen, and they’re playing games.

We are now giving them a choice:

• Stop playing games.
• Participate in bargaining process in good faith.
• Work with ETFO to arrive at fair agreements at our Teacher/Occasional Teacher and Education Worker Central Tables by January 17, 2020.

If the government refuses to bargain fairly, then ETFO members will engage in a full withdrawal of services through rotating strike action, starting January 20, 2020.

ETFO has been conducting large-scale Building Better Schools public campaigns for over a year about the Ford government’s devastating cuts to public education and around protecting Ontario’s internationally-recognized Kindergarten programme. Those campaigns have been very effective in garnering public attention and support. But the campaigns haven’t helped move the government at the bargaining table. The government is still bargaining from a position that, if accepted by ETFO, would mean student supports would be cut, the health of our public education system would be threatened and our collective agreement entitlements would be eroded.

We can’t let those things happen.

The last tool – and the most effective tool – ETFO members have to put pressure on this government is our ability, together, to withdraw services. It’s unfortunate that it’s come to this point. But the government’s inaction at the bargaining table has left us with no choice.

It’s now up to the Ford government. If it really wants to, the Ford government can prevent further strike action by taking bargaining seriously and working with ETFO to arrive at agreements that are fair for students and our members.

ETFO stewards, as well as executive members of ETFO teacher, occasional teacher and education worker locals, will be attending local training sessions between January 13, 2020, and January  24, 2020, regarding full withdrawal of services. After attending their local training sessions, stewards will be holding information meetings at their schools/worksites with members to review preparations for full withdrawal of services and answer members’ questions.

In addition, on January 13, 2020, Central Bargaining Bulletin #15 will be forwarded to ETFO members through local communication channels. Central Bargaining Bulletin #15 will include answers to frequently asked questions about strike action, including potential full withdrawal of services.

Yes, individual members may request that a consultant/coordinator/facilitator/early years facilitator/coach work with them in their classroom during Phase 3.

All WTR strike protocols, and all Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) issued regarding those strike protocols, are posted on this website in the section called “ETFO Strike Action.”

As of January 13, 2020, ETFO members will NOT plan or organize assemblies. They may attend assemblies to supervise students.

No. All extracurricular activities must take place at the member’s school and must take place during the school day as it has been defined. During Phase 3, members cannot participate or supervise students at events that take place at a different school or location.

The regular school day is comprised of:

• the 300 minute instructional day;
• recess;
• nutrition breaks; and
• lunch.

Extracurricular activities conducted during the regular school day (i.e., the instructional day, recess, lunch hour, nutrition breaks) may continue.

No. This is an extracurricular activity and would be considered struck work as of January 13, 2020.

Yes. Swim to Survive would be considered part of the curriculum.

Yes. Scientists in School would be considered part of the curriculum.

Yes, extracurricular activities conducted during the regular school day (i.e., the instructional day, recess, lunch hour, nutrition breaks) may continue.

No. Skating trips are considered field trips and as such they become struck work now that the work-to-rule has progressed to Phase 3.

It is your principal/supervisor’s responsibility to advise parents that a field trip has been cancelled.

No. This is struck work for both permanent and occasional ETFO members as of January 13, 2020.

An ETFO member working in a part-time position would arrive at work 30 minutes before their regular work day begins and would leave work no later 15 minutes after their regular work day ends.

No, ETFO members cannot participate or plan any activity that would take place outside of the restricted hours (i.e. 30 minutes before instructional day and 15 minutes after the instructional day) during Phase 3.

Effective Tuesday, November 26, 2019, ETFO members will

• NOT complete Term 1 Report Cards – teachers WILL provide the school administrator with a class list of marks for the various subjects/strands taught, or one brief comment per frame for the Kindergarten Communication of Learning;
• NOT undertake the role of report card administrator;
• NOT file the Progress Report, the Term 1 Report Card or the Kindergarten Communication of Learning.

No. You should submit students’ marks on a printed document (i.e., hard paper copy) to administration. As part of our WTR strike action, ETFO members should not be submitting electronic documents with report card marks or comments to their principal or vice-principal.

No. Each teacher would submit a separate class list of marks for only the subjects that they teach.

Yes, members who teach Grades 1-8 should submit, to the principal, a paper class list that includes only grades for subjects and ratings (E,G,N, etc.) for the learning skills.

Members who entered data into the electronic report card template for Term 1 before the start of the WTR should save and print a copy to keep themselves. Then, they should delete the data from the electronic report card template.

ETFO members who are ESPs are not able help with report cards because it is struck work.

During the WTR, members should not sign report cards/Kindergarten Communication of Learning. The principal/vice-principal will be responsible for signing them.

No. Kindergarten members may write a BRIEF comment of their choice for each frame without being restricted by the headings in Growing Success.

No. You should complete your brief comment per frame in a text document with a class list, such as Word/Excel, and submit a paper document (i.e., hard paper copy) to administration. As part of the WTR, ETFO members should not be submitting electronic documents with comments to their principal or vice-principal.

No, members should update IEPs in the IEP engine only. Members should not print or sign IEPs for report card purposes. This will be the responsibility of the principal/vice-principal because this work is related to report cards therefore are part of our WTR and is struck work.

Members should write Not Applicable or N/A in the box where grade/comment would go on the class list.

Members should write the word French beside the grade for the subject or BRIEF comment on the class list.

Members should write the letters IEP beside the grade (grades 1-8) or comment (Kindergarten and Alternative Report Card) for the strand/subject/frame on the class list.

Members should write the letters ESL/ELD beside the grade (grades 1-8) or comment (Kindergarten and Alternative Report Card) for the subject/strand/frame on the class list.

If marks only: Members should provide marks only, on a paper class list, and submit to the principal. They should not complete the Alternative report card through the IEP engine.

If comments: Members should hand in a paper class list to the administrator with one BRIEF comment per section of the Alternative Report Card. They should not complete the Alternative Report Card through the IEP engine.

If space for marks and comments: Members should provide marks only, on a paper class list, and submit to the principal. They should not complete the Alternative report card through the IEP engine.

In situations where members ONLY complete an anecdotal Alternative Report Card with no grades, levels, etc., they should hand in a paper class list to the administrator with one BRIEF comment for each child per report card section.