PICKETING, “Walk-ins” AND SCHOOL COUNCIL MEETINGS
How often are ETFO members being asked to picket outside their school/worksite during the Phase 7 Strike Protocol?
ETFO members are being asked to picket outside of their school/worksite for a minimum of 20 minutes per day at least once per week.
I have scheduled supervision at the same time my colleagues have chosen to hold a picket. What do I do?
You should complete your scheduled supervision duties. If there is time after your supervision duties are completed, you can join colleagues who are picketing.
I am an ETFO DECE/ESP/PSP/education worker member. I operate on a different schedule than the teachers in my school/worksite. In some cases, I am the only ETFO member in the school/worksite. How does strike action around picketing affect me?
Due to scheduling and other issues, it may not be possible or feasible for ETFO education worker members to join their teacher colleagues during pickets. In such cases, ETFO education worker members should contact their ETFO local for guidance around picketing.
What communication methods can I use to invite parents to attend picketing or to organize a walk-in?
- Focus on reaching parents at your school who have showed sympathy and support over the course of the school year. Encourage them to take action (e.g., picketing, sending an email to their trustee, MPP, etc.).
- You can speak to parents before and after school, at lunch and during nutritional breaks (Note: if you have scheduled supervision duties, focus on your scheduled supervision duties and communicate with parents at another time).
- You can post flyers on school and community bulletin boards with picket times/locations and invite parents to participate.
- You can use your personal social media accounts to make parents aware of ETFO’s Phase 7 Strike Protocol and invite them to picket with ETFO members, or consider organizing a walk-in at your school.
Can I give parents and community members details about ETFO’s Phase 7 Strike Protocols?
Yes, all ETFO strike protocols (Phases 1-7) are public and can be found on ETFO’s Collective Bargaining Website (
https://etfocb.ca/). Parents can be directed to the website to review strike protocols, or you can share the Phase 7 Strike Protocol directly with parents.
Please remember:
- to communicate with parents before or after you have discharged your professional duties;
- to keep your communications professional at all times;
- that some parents may not share your views or may not be receptive to participating in pickets and walk-ins. A parent’s lack of interest should be respected.
Can I send literature home with students asking parents to attend pickets or organize a walk-in?
ETFO members should not send literature or other information about job action home with students.
Can I use the school’s social media and online accounts to ask parents to attend picketing or organize a walk-in?
Information collected or managed by ETFO members in their capacity as school board employees should only be used for work-related activities. For example, emails collected by ETFO members to keep parents apprised of their child’s academic progress, or a school Twitter account administered by an ETFO member, should not be used to disseminate information about strike action.
Would attending a school council meeting violate WTR strike action around leaving the school/worksite no later than 15 minutes after the instructional day has ended?
ETFO members may attend school council meetings for the specific purpose set out in the critical political action, i.e., to “talk to parents about key elementary bargaining issues and how they can assist in the fight against the Ford government’s cuts to elementary education.”
How do I reach out to the school council and arrange to attend a meeting to discuss bargaining issues and cuts to education funding?
School councils usually have protocols around attending meetings and placing items on the agenda for discussion. It is important to follow those protocols. Do not attend school council meetings to discuss key elementary bargaining issues and the Ford government’s cuts to elementary education unless you have received an invitation or approval from the school council to do so.
SENDING LETTERS OF SUPPORT
There are parents who want to help ETFO members reach a fair deal that protects student learning conditions and teacher working conditions, but it’s difficult for them to attend picketing. Is there anything else I can suggest they do?
- Parents can contact their MPP and the Minister of Education at
- Parents can send an email to their local school trustees at
- Parents can send an email to the Executive Council of OPSBA at
I am a DECE member working with the Toronto Catholic District School Board and Durham Catholic District School Board. How do I contact the trustees in my board, and can I provide this information to parents?
ETFO has a created a specific letter for Toronto and Durham Catholic trustees. The letter can be found at https://www.buildingbetterschools.ca/catholictrustees. Members can share this link with interested parents.
