Ontario teachers vow to curb extracurricular activities as bill passes freezing wages

[cynicles]

Rob Ferguson and Robert Benzie
Queen’s Park Bureau
0 Comments (http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/politics/article/1254896--ontario-passes-teacher-wage-freeze-bill#comments)


Up to 136,000 public school teachers will drop extracurricular activities like running clubs and coaching teams on Wednesday to protest Ontario’s new law freezing their wages and banning strikes.
“It is not business as usual,” Sam Hammond, president of Elementary Teachers Federation of Ontario, warned Tuesday at Queen’s Park after MPPs passed Bill 115.
The Progressive Conservatives joined forced with Premier Dalton McGuinty’s minority Liberal government to approve the legislation by a margin of 82-15, with the New Democrats voting against.
Hammond said he has asked his 76,000 members “to take a pause in any volunteer activities they are now doing . . . (and) focus on students in the classroom.”
“I’m not setting a time limit on it,” he said of the protest, noting “McGuinty Mondays” — where teachers are asked by their union not to attend any in-school meetings or meetings with the school system or ministry officials on Mondays — will begin next week.
Unlike the ETFO, the 60,000-strong Ontario Secondary School Teachers Federation said its members would withdraw extracurricular services only on Wednesday and wear black clothes or armbands.
“The classrooms will be unaffected,” insisted president Ken Coran, adding the law rammed through by the Grits and Tories shows “the D for democracy is a D for dictatorship.”
McGuinty (http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/politics/article/1252723--ndp-take-kitchener-waterloo-block-liberal-majority-as-government-holds-vaughan), who has increased teachers’ compensation by 25 per cent since 2004, said the government has no choice but to belt-tighten as it struggles with a $14.8-billion deficit.
“We are doing what we need to do,” the grim-faced premier told the house.
In the public galleries above him, teachers and other union members (http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/politics/article/1248059--teachers-gather-at-queen-s-park-to-protest-mcguinty-s-education-bill), who held a 5,000-strong rally at Queen’s Park two weeks ago, shouted “shame” when the bill passed.
“Isn’t there school today?” several Tory MPPs shot back.
A gleeful Progressive Conservative Leader Tim Hudak said he was happy the Liberals finally followed his call for a wage freeze.
“Teachers may be mad at Dalton McGuinty because he promised one thing and did the opposite,” he said, crowing that his party has consistently called for restraint and wants wages frozen for everyone on the public payroll, including doctors, police and firefighters.
The Ontario English Catholic Teachers’ Association and French-language teachers weeks ago signed a similar deal that would also halve their sick days to 10 annually, end unused sick days from being cashed out at retirement, and impose three unpaid days off.
But the agreement allows younger teachers to continue moving up through the salary grid as they gain experience.
Education Minister Laurel Broten said the legislation is retroactive to Sept. 1, when teacher contracts rolled over resulting in an extra $473 million in annual costs for other grid increases for some teachers and more accumulated sick days.
It has been a rough ride for the Liberals, who recalled the legislature from its summer break two weeks early to debate the bill, then watched their long-time political allies in the education unions abandon them.
In last Thursday’s Kitchener—Waterloo byelection (http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/politics/article/1252723--ndp-take-kitchener-waterloo-block-liberal-majority-as-government-holds-vaughan), teachers and public-sector union members propelled New Democrat Catherine Fife to victory in a seat Conservative Elizabeth Witmer held for 22 years.
McGuinty had appointed Witmer as $188,000-a-year chair of the Workplace Safety Insurance Board in April to vacate the riding — then seen as winnable for the Liberals — with hopes of regaining a majority in the house.
“We feel absolutely betrayed. We will not let them forget it — as we did in Kitchener—Waterloo,” said Hammond, vowing to defeat other Liberals and Tories in a general election that could come in the spring.
Broten, likely a top target in her Etobicoke—Lakeshore riding in the next election, said the government had no choice but to move quickly despite the political ramifications of alienating teachers’ unions.
“I have the greatest of respect for voters,” she said of the Liberals’ poor third-place showing in Kitchener—Waterloo. “However voters vote . . . they never get that decision wrong.”
NDP Leader Andrea Horwath predicted the law would result in a costly constitutional challenge (http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/politics/article/1244484--ontario-s-teacher-wage-freeze-bill-could-spark-costly-supreme-court-challenge) from teacher unions whose collective bargaining rights have been overridden.
Indeed, the unions will get the legal wheels rolling “immediately,” said Fred Hahn, president of the Canadian Union of Public Employees in Ontario, representing education support workers.


http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/politics/article/1254896--ontario-passes-teacher-wage-freeze-bill

[blake 3:17]

This is a major attack on collective bargaining rights. There's some nonsense happening in the bureaucracy. Quite a few of the activists I know in the teachers federations and CUPE don't know what's going on.

[Prometeo liberado]

This is a major attack on collective bargaining rights.

Part and parcel of the capitalist offensive, also known as Austerity. The only question now is do we settle for defensive moves or are we ready for offensive ones? Sadly, expecting even the former may be a reach at this point.

[blake 3:17]

There's a new FB group for Ontario teachers and supporters: https://www.facebook.com/WeAreTheFrontLinesInEducation

[JoeySteel]

Ontario Political Forum Sept. 12, 2012: (http://www.cpcml.ca/OPF2012/OPF02050.HTM#1)



Stand with Teachers and Education Workers
Rally Behind the Call to Defend the Rights of All!

Ontario Political Forum condemns the Ontario Legislature for passing Bill 115, the Putting Students First Act on September 11. In the name of the well-being of Ontario's children, the McGuinty Liberal government and the Hudak Conservatives have unleashed a destructive offensive against the rights of teachers and education workers. The role of a Legislature is to uphold public right, not trample it in the mud in the name of high ideals.

On Tuesday, September 11, the bill passed third reading and promptly received Royal Assent. Eighty-two MPPs from the Liberal and Conservative parties voted in favour and 15 NDP MPPs voted against.

Despite the bill's passage and its provisions to criminalize them, teachers and education workers are not backing down. On Friday, September 14, they will hold rallies at MPPs' offices to oppose the new law. Local labour councils, unions and other supporters are being encouraged to join the rallies to show their opposition to the legislation.

The Elementary Teachers' Federation of Ontario (ETFO) is holding local information meetings in the coming weeks to review the union's strategy and answer questions in preparation for local strike votes.

Members of the Ontario Secondary School Teachers' Federation (OSSTF) are showing their opposition and demonstrating their commitment to fight the legislation by wearing black to work. Meetings are also being held by OSSTF members after work today to discuss OSSTF's strategy going forward.

Ontario Political Forum calls on everyone to stand with teachers and education workers as they step up their opposition to Bill 115. Contact local OSSTF, ETFO or CUPE offices for more information on how to support local actions.

What Lies Behind McGuinty's Imaginary Crisis

The elementary and secondary schools throughout Ontario began on schedule the day after Labour Day, as they normally do and just as unions representing teacher and education support workers had all along said they would. This exposes as fraudulent Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty's declaration that a "crisis" threatened the September school opening. It also makes a farce out of McGuinty's emergency recall of the Ontario Legislature to legislate a solution to his imaginary crisis.

Even after schools opened in the normal way, the McGuinty Liberals and their allies the Hudak Conservatives pushed ahead with Bill 115 which strips away collective bargaining rights and other rights from teachers and education workers. McGuinty claims that the legislation is necessary to force teachers to conform to his government's budget reduction targets, but this too is a fraud. Teachers' unions agreed to a two-year wage freeze at the very beginning of the talks for a new agreement.

This raises the question of what McGuinty is trying to achieve with this legislation since there is no crisis in the schools and the teachers and education workers have agreed to the government's demands.

To explain the incoherence, some commentators point to the blatant political opportunism of McGuinty, i.e., his transparent manufacturing of a fake crisis with the teachers and education workers that would not only coincide with the new school year but also the by-elections in Kitchener-Waterloo and Vaughan. They claim that McGuinty thought his hard line on teachers and education workers would show the people of Ontario he is serious about attacking the deficit and that he is quite capable of attacking public sector workers next. He is said to have thought this would put him in a good position to outdo the Hudak Conservatives in the by-elections. The by-elections were supposed to be two-way races between the Liberals and Conservatives which were to vindicate the attacks on teachers and education workers. Instead, the people of Kitchener-Waterloo soundly defeated both the Liberals and Conservatives and the turnout in Vaughan was only 26 per cent of the electorate. The Kitchener-Waterloo by-election was thus a clear rejection of the attacks on the primary and secondary public school system while the Vaughan by-election made no statement at all in support of the attacks. The by-election results provided yet another reason why McGuinty should have withdrawn the legislation.

All of it shows that the people are completely deprived of political power by an electoral system which brings political parties to power on behalf of the establishment forces and that they have no say in the decisions which affect their lives. The rich minority who hold political power have called on their political representatives to eliminate any capacity of the people to resist their neo-liberal offensive, which first and foremost means smashing up the organizations of the workers. All across the country, collective bargaining rights are being suppressed, every form of struggle for wages and working conditions is being criminalized and workers' organizations are under pressure. The organizations of the teachers and education workers are a very important target in this campaign.

The 515,000 workers in Ontario's elementary, secondary and post-secondary education sector are a significant contingent of the working people of the province. They make up eight per cent of the total workforce. Almost all of them are in unions and they make up 27 per cent of Ontario's unionized workers -- one out of every four union members is a teacher or education worker. If the rich are successful in smashing up teachers' and education workers' unions, they reckon they will have gone a long way toward realizing their neo-liberal dream of completely eliminating workers' self-defence organizations.

This union-smashing agenda was very clear to negotiators for the elementary and secondary teachers' and education workers' unions since the opening session of the provincial bargaining table meetings in January. Union negotiators walked into a room where instead of the usual Ministry of Education bean-counters they faced a battalion of notorious anti-worker legal henchmen like Judge Farley and constitutional lawyers.

The government side at the provincial table had no intention of negotiating. Even after teachers and education workers' unions agreed to the key government demand for a two-year wage freeze, the government refused to negotiate. The government negotiators and lawyers were only there to play out a "duty to consult" farce to make sure McGuinty's attack on teachers and education workers was "challenge-proof" under the Charter of Rights.

Boasts made recently by McGuinty in the Legislature reveal this strategy. "The Supreme Court of Canada has set out some basic rules that you have to follow to ensure that ultimately we can hit the pause button on public sector pay. So we started back in January to be fair, open, accountable and responsible but now we find ourselves at this point in time and we're running out of runway," McGuinty said.

A confrontation and an excuse to strip teachers and education workers of their collective bargaining rights was McGuinty's objective, not a negotiated agreement. This is why every attempt by teachers and education workers' unions to avoid the confrontation was in vain. Since January, McGuinty set a series of events in motion, each one designed to get unions to "willingly" submit to his dictate. The final step was his emergency recall of the Legislature and stripping the teachers and educational workers of their rights with Bill 115.
Teachers and education workers are fully cognizant that their right to affirm their rights is at the centre of their battle against the anti-social offensive of the McGuinty Liberals. They clearly expressed their convictions in front of the Legislature when they joined public sector workers and people from across Ontario for the April 21 Day of Action Against Cuts to oppose the government's budget and so-called austerity program. They did it again on August 28 to reject the introduction of the Putting Students First Act with their slogans, banners and speeches denouncing the McGuinty/Hudak alliance for attacking their rights, workers' rights and the rights of all.

"Education workers all around the world for some reason take a leadership role," said Ken Coran, President of the Ontario Secondary School Teachers' Federation, "They educate the public to defend their civil rights and liberties, to defend the basic principles by which we live. It is the education workers who will lead the public to understand the damage these folks are doing. It's all in your hands."

Following the August 28 rally, teachers and education workers and their organizations threw their weight behind defeating the Liberal and the Conservative candidates in the Kitchener-Waterloo by-election, showing the rejection of all Ontario working people of the so-called austerity program designed to pay the rich, not balance budgets.

The successful campaign in Kitchener-Waterloo points a way forward for the workers' opposition to the anti-worker, anti-social offensive of the rich. It shows that workers' organizations can mobilize broad political support for workers' rights and the rights of all. Rally behind the call to defend the rights of all! No to attacks on teachers and education workers and on public sector workers who are McGuinty's next target.

Ontario Political Forum calls on all Ontario workers to recognize the importance of resistance and organization at this point in the life of Ontario. For McGuinty to declare that unless the teachers willingly accept his dictatorship they will be converted into criminals is unconscionable.

Teachers and Education Workers' Unions Respond to Passage of Bill 115

Immediately following the passage of the Putting Students' First Act, unions representing Ontario teachers and education workers affected by the legislation held a joint press conference outside the Legislature and issued statements to show their opposition to the legislation.

The Elementary Teachers' Federation of Ontario (ETFO) said in a statement that Ontario's 76,000 public elementary teachers and education professionals are being urged to 'take a pause' on voluntary activities in response to the 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 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 Ontario Secondary School Teachers' Federation (OSSTF) also issued a statement in response to the Bill's passage:

"The passing of Bill 115 today represents one of the darkest days in the history of workers' rights in recent memory," said OSSTF President Ken Coran. "This government has now passed a law that tramples on the rights of education workers in Ontario, and it appears that Premier McGuinty will be targeting other workers in the near future."

"The passage of this law is undemocratic and unprecedented, and was unnecessary," continued Coran. "McGuinty and Hudak have thumbed their noses at democratic rights in this province."

"This law now gives the Minister of Education sweeping powers over the negotiations process and takes away the ability of our members and the democratically elected school boards to engage in a free collective bargaining process that has been successful for many years," said Coran.

On the issue of how OSSTF will proceed with the negotiations process, Coran stated, "We will continue to follow the rules and laws that govern the collective bargaining process under the Ontario Labour Relations Act in our attempts to secure agreements with our members' employers; the school boards of Ontario. We will continue with local negotiations and urge the government to stop interfering with our legal right to collectively bargain."

"Premier McGuinty should not expect our members or the workers of Ontario to sit idly while the government strips them of their basic and fundamental labour rights," concluded Coran.

A statement from CUPE reads:

The Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) announced today that it is beginning proceedings against the Ontario Government after the passage of Bill 115. CUPE Ontario President Fred Hahn made the announcement at Queen's Park, after the Liberal bill passed its final vote this morning with the backing of the Conservatives.

"This is a truly dreadful day for democracy," said Hahn. "Instead of focusing on strengthening schools, communities and the economy, the Liberals have chosen to attack people's charter rights," said Hahn. "We are challenging Bill 115 because the rights of Ontarians are protected by the Constitution, even if the Liberals don't want them to be."

CUPE has retained Andrew Lokan from the firm Paliare Roland and has instructed him to begin legal proceedings challenging the bill's constitutionality.

"Bill 115 isn't about balancing the budget. It's not about fixing the economy. It won't benefit students or schools," said Hahn. "It is an unprecedented attack on the civil rights of hundreds of thousands of Ontarians working in the education system. And it's absolutely a cynical political ploy on the part of Liberals who think they can win votes if they appear as tough and right-wing as the Conservatives."

CUPE Ontario represents 55,000 workers in English and French, public and Catholic, elementary and secondary schools across the province. These workers include custodians, school secretaries, library technicians, educational assistants, early childhood educators, instructors, lunch room supervisors and other support staff who are the back bone of community schools.

At Queen's Park, Hahn stood alongside ETFO President Sam Hammond and OSSTF President Ken Coran, who also announced they are beginning legal proceedings against Bill 115.

The Canadian Civil Liberties Association (CCLA) also came out clearly against the bill and committed to intervene in any legal challenge. "People's rights are not something to be trifled with. We are concerned this legislation goes too far and violates the civil liberties of all Ontarians," said CCLA Director Sukanya Pillay at a press conference earlier this month.

The legal challenge will be just one part of a broader push to strengthen schools, protect workers, and build community support, Hahn said.

"This isn't just about education workers" said Hahn. "The Liberals are using public-sector workers as a scapegoat for their mistakes. They cut revenues through tax breaks to profitable multi-national corporations and banks, thereby creating a deficit. Now, instead of asking the banks -- which turned $8 billion in profits this quarter alone -- to pay their fair share, they are going after custodians and part-time lunch room workers. Ontarians saw through McGuinty's cynical politics last week in Kitchener-Waterloo, and they will see through his cynical politics all across Ontario in the weeks and months to come."

[leftistman]

High school students are protesting the protest; they don't want to lose their extra-curricular activities. While I believe that no extracurricular activities should be cut, salaries adequate for living off of are more important than extra-curricular activities.

[blake 3:17]

Schedule of rallies across the province against Bill 115. Most are happening Friday, September 14.

http://cupe.on.ca/doc.php?did=2021&lang=en

[RevoTO]

It is disgusting how comfortable the liberals and conservatives have gotten with enforcing anti-labour and anti-collective bargaining laws on working class people. Over the past year you see an escalation in these anti-democratic tactics from the capitalist parties. They have been getting bolder and bolder.

I remember one year ago when CUPW (Canadian Union of Postal Workers) were under threat of a pay decrease and were planning on going on strike. May 2011 they had a strike vote of 94.5% highest in CUPW history (from one of the most militant unions in canada). Lisa Ritt (federal conservative labour minister) privately threatened CUPW that if they would go on strike they would immediately be put back to work and assigned a bogus arbitrator to settle the contracts.

Just last march the air Canada workers bravely went out on a wild cat strike coupled with a series of work stoppages and slowdowns. Soon after back to work legislation was passed and I believe they were deemed an "essential service".

Now we see the most disgusting attack by far. Even before a strike ballot is taken, the liberals have passed a anti-democratic/collective bargaining back to work legislation. Bolder then even the actions the conservatives took against the postal workers and air Canada workers.

Mcguinty has made it clear that this is the first in a series of attacks that is going to hit all working class people in the near future. I will say that these undemocratic attacks will not go without a response. If history tells us anything its that you can only hold working class people down for so long until they explode into action.

[JoeySteel]

Today about 200 high school students from several schools in Ottawa held a very lively rally outside Dalton McGuinty's office. Contrary to what a poster above said, while many were lamenting the loss of extracurricular programs, they solidly blamed the Liberal government and the slogans chanted were "Kill the Bill!" and "Don't Hate - Negotiate!" You could tell there was something of a line struggle among students as a section tried to shift emphasis to "People not Pawns!" - a slogan reflecting the idea that the students are 'caught in the middle' between two interests that have nothing to do with them - but it had a noticeably smaller resonance with the crowd. It was very heartening to see high school students organize themselves in this way. About 300 students at another school in Ottawa are holding a sit-in on the front grass of the school.

Here are letters from workers around Ontario to Ontario Political Forum from today's issue about the so-called "Putting Students First Act"




Discussion on Putting Students First Act
Letters to the Editor

McGuinty Government's Bogus Restraint Period Is a Violation of Rights

The McGuinty government is invoking a period of "restraint" with the passage of the Putting Students First Act. What McGuinty is saying with this period of "restraint" is that teachers and other education workers no longer have the right to agree or disagree with the wages and working conditions they will accept. Instead, they will have them imposed by the Minister of Education.
- A teacher in Windsor

Using "Exceptional Circumstances" to Justify the Unjustifiable

Like Harper who invokes "national security" to violate people's rights, McGuinty is saying that in this period of "restraint" our rights must be violated in the interest of "stability." This goes against the very idea of a human right. It is when there are exceptional circumstances that rights are needed most -- so abusive "exceptional measures" cannot be taken, like allowing torture and other crimes against human dignity.
- A Teacher in Hamilton

Governments Cannot Take Away Rights

McGuinty is telling us that rights can be taken away by governments if they decide to do so. This is unacceptable and goes against a modern conception of rights. Such a concept does not permit a return to a feudal conception where a feudal lord gave privileges to some and took them away from others as part of bolstering his personal fiefdom. Rights cannot be given or taken away. They belong to us. We have the right to affirm them. If the conditions interfere with their affirmation, then they mean nothing. It is irrational.
- A Teaching Assistant in Ottawa

An Injury to One Is an Injury to All

McGuinty's violation of teachers and education workers' rights is aimed at smashing their unions. If that is allowed to happen more public services will end up privatized, or at least serving private interests more directly. One need only look at what's happening to education in Michigan or Chicago right now to see where McGuinty and Hudak's notion of rights will lead Ontario. That scenario cannot be permitted to prevail because it is not in the public interest.
- A Hamilton steelworker whose wife is a teacher

Where Is the "Restraint" for the Monopolies?

McGuinty says there must be restraint for education workers and the elimination of their rights but for the biggest companies and financial institutions it is the exact opposite. Oil companies are gouging us with gas prices, CEOs make huge bonuses at our expense. But nothing can be done about that! According to the neo-liberal champions of restraint, instead of being restrained, the biggest companies and financial institutions get paid in the form of bailouts, handouts or loans with money stolen from public services and the public treasury. It is the most cynical kind of extortion, with the people the ones being extorted. It should not be permitted.
- A Toronto City Worker

Companies like Chrysler, GM and Ford who have all benefited to the tune of billions of dollars in loans from the public purse and concessions from autoworkers, continue to threaten and try to intimidate the workers who produce all the wealth they call profit. Instead of restraining these ungrateful bullies, Harper and McGuinty and their gangs operate on their behalf and want to restrain the people. Flaherty (federal finance minister) threatens to use legislation to restrain any workers who "threaten the economy" by going on strike. They have no credibility whatsoever but certainly hold the power over us!
- An Oshawa autoworker

Governments Must Defend Public Right

Governments that are wrecking our society and take no social responsibility for the well-being of the people, hide behind ridiculous phrases like "putting students first." They should not be allowed to use the public power against the public interest.
- Ottawa School Board Trustee

McGuinty's Attack on Matters of Conscience

Whether or not teachers withdraw voluntary work is a personal decision which is described as a matter of conscience. In fact, it is an assault on their conscience to have to take such a decision. Teachers, like nurses, doctors and many others, are professionals. As such they take on a duty to fulfil the aim of their profession -- teaching their students to make sure they acquire the knowledge society imparts commensurate to their grade level so that the younger generation is prepared to take society forward.

To say the decision to carry out services for which they are not paid is a personal one is an assault on their conscience when they are deprived of the conditions they require to fulfil the aim of their profession. The work they contribute is crucial to the lives of their students, the parents and the society as a whole. To make this a matter of personal conscience would be like saying that when the government does not provide enough doctors and demands that a few work around the clock, should a doctor refuse to work under such conditions, then the death of a patient is made a matter of her/his conscience by implying that the refusal to work was a violation of the Hippocratic Oath.

The point is that people can only do their duty if the conditions are there for it. Governments are duty-bound to make sure the conditions are there for teachers and students alike to teach and learn and flourish. This is why that so long as the government refuses to respect their profession, teachers are justified in withdrawing their voluntary services.
- A parent in Toronto

[The Intransigent Faction]

High school students are protesting the protest; they don't want to lose their extra-curricular activities. While I believe that no extracurricular activities should be cut, salaries adequate for living off of are more important than extra-curricular activities.

That's certainly part of it, but there are more farsighted people among the students as well. Stories like this (http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/story/2012/09/19/ottawa-students-protest-to-support-for-teachers.html) are so encouraging for the future. :D Even with the media rhetoric around this issue being the way it is (for example, I saw a segment on CBC's "Power & Politics" where the host was asking a union leader "But isn't this just punishing the students?"), some students aren't falling for the typical blame-deflection tactic.

In any case, teachers won't be the only victims of austerity---McGunity of course intends to apply similar restrictions to public sector workers in general. If he can do it to teachers, then probably many of these kids' parents (not to mention their own prospects for the future) are next.

[Winkers Fons]

The worst part about these teacher strikes is how everybody tries to paint it as the evil, lazy union teachers vs. the poor children who just want to go to school. If these things want to succeed, they need the support of the students.

[Peoples' War]

The worst part about these teacher strikes is how everybody tries to paint it as the evil, lazy union teachers vs. the poor children who just want to go to school. If these things want to succeed, they need the support of the students.
And if I were a teacher, I would take my time in class, at least for one day, to explain and try to get the support of the students. The teachers must engage in discussion and debate with their pupils. Once the students join with the teachers, then victory will be in sight.

[JoeySteel]

Momentum Builds Against McGuinty's Attacks on Education

From today's issue of Ontario Political Forum http://www.cpcml.ca/OPF2012/OPF02052.HTM#1



Momentum Builds Against McGuinty's Attacks on Education
Overwhelming Strike Mandates Show Rejection of Government Dictate

Results of strike votes taken by the Elementary Teachers' Federation of Ontario (ETFO) and Ontario Secondary School Teachers' Federation (OSSTF) bargaining units around the province indicate decisive majorities voting in favour of a strike mandate that would enable the application of sanctions up to a full withdrawal of services in local areas if necessary. The reporting varies, with most, but not all locals or districts releasing their results broken down by bargaining unit.

ETFO indicates that holding strike votes does not mean a decision has been made to actually take strike action. ETFO president Sam Hammond told reporters: "Those votes are very important for local negotiations but also our members are sending a clear message with these strike votes to this government that it's not business as usual and we are not going to stand by and allow this kind of repressive bill, unconstitutional bill, to go forward."

OSSTF points out that taking strike votes is a part of bargaining that occurs under the Ontario Labour Relations Act. It is required for employees to legally act in combination or with a common understanding not only to strike but to engage in working to rule or in some similar way curtailing work they normally do, even of a voluntary nature.

On August 27, OSSTF had announced it was postponing all strike votes which were to be held in August and the first week of September, except where a Board had requested conciliation. The reason given was that there was some progress being made in attempts to bargain locally. The votes had been scheduled since June. OSSTF changed its decision to hold strike votes in response to the McGuinty government's fear-mongering about teachers planning to disrupt the start of classes by going on strike -- something OSSTF repeatedly denied and pointed out was not even possible under the Labour Relations Act.

Fear-mongering is one of the tactics of forces pushing the anti-social offensive. The Liberals and Conservatives tried to use the spectre of a strike preventing the start of classes to manipulate the electorate in the September 6 by-elections in Kitchener-Waterloo and Vaughan as well. It was to justify bringing in draconian legislation which attacks the rights of all, the Putting Students First Act. In doing so, they believed their own lies that the public does not support teachers and education workers. This backfired and both the Liberals with their so-called balanced approach and the Conservatives with their so-called forthright approach suffered a resounding defeat in the Kitchener-Waterloo by-election while the Vaughan by-election was not a factor in giving the Liberals a mandate of any kind because of the low voter turn-out of 26 per cent of eligible voters.

Once the Putting Students First Act was adopted by the Legislature and school boards were put under orders to begin implementing the government's legislation, or else, the OSSTF reinstated its strike votes. The votes have taken the character of not only a vote for a strike mandate, but also a rejection of the McGuinty-Hudak schemes to violate the rights of all.

ETFO Strike Votes

Keewatin-Patricia (Kenora, Dryden, Sioux Lookout, Red Lake area): 100%

Superior-Greenstone (Manitouwadge, Geraldton, Marathon, Nipigon-Red Rock area): Teachers -- 98%, Occasional Teachers -- 100%

Rainbow (Sudbury, Espanola, Manitoulin area): Teachers -- 98%, Occasional Teachers -- 98%, Designated Early Childhood Educators (ECEs) -- 95%

Near North (North Bay, Parry Sound, Sturgeon Falls area): Teachers -- 91%, Occasional Teachers -- 97%

Simcoe (Barrie, Orillia, Collingwood area): Teachers -- 97%, Occasional Teachers -- 92% Designated ECEs -- 86%, Burkvale school (Penetanguishene) -- 100%

Trillium Lakelands (Lindsay, Kawartha Lakes, Haliburton, Muskoka area): Teachers -- 99%, Occasional Teachers -- 100%, Designated ECEs -- 96%

Renfrew County (Pembroke, Renfrew, Petawawa, Deep River area): Teachers -- 95%, Occasional Teachers -- 87%, Education Support Personnel -- 91%, Professional Support Personnel -- 84%

Ottawa Carleton: Teachers -- 97%, Occasional Teachers -- 96%

Hastings & Prince Edward County (Belleville, Trenton, Picton area): Teachers -- 94%, Occasional Teachers -- 93%

Limestone (Kingston, Napanee area): Teachers -- 99%, Occasional Teachers -- 97%

Kawartha Pine Ridge (Peterborough, Port Hope, Cobourg, Bowmanville area): 98%

Durham (Oshawa, Whitby, Ajax, Pickering area): Teachers -- 98%, Occasional Teachers -- 94%, Designated ECEs -- 98% (Close to 2,000 members voting)

Hamilton Wentworth: Teachers -- 97%, Occasional Teachers -- 91%, Designated ECEs -- 91%

Grand Erie (Brantford, Dunnville, Caledonia area): Teachers -- 97%, Occasional Teachers -- 93%, Designated ECEs -- 93%

Waterloo Region (Kitchener-Waterloo, Cambridge area): Teachers -- 97%, Occasional Teachers -- 97%, Designated ECEs -- 95%

Lambton Kent (Sarnia, Chatham-Kent area): 97%

OSSTF Strike Votes

Thunder Bay: 85%

Algoma (Sault Ste. Marie, Elliott Lake, Wawa area): Teachers -- 95%, Occasional Teachers -- 89%, Educational Support Staff -- 78%, ECEs -- 77%

Bluewater (Owen Sound, Meaford, Kincardine, Chesley area): Teachers -- 98%, Support Staff -- 87%

Simcoe (Barrie, Orillia, Collingwood area): Teachers -- 95% (More than 1,070 of 1,200 teachers voting) Educational Assistants and Designated ECEs -- 90%

Trillium Lakelands (Lindsay, Kawartha Lakes, Haliburton, Muskoka area): 99.5%

Renfrew County (Pembroke, Renfrew, Petawawa, Deep River area): 95%

Kawartha Pine Ridge (Peterborough, Port Hope, Cobourg, Bowmanville area): Teachers -- 90%

Durham (Oshawa, Whitby, Ajax, Pickering area): Teachers -- 94%, Occasional Teachers -- 87%.

Hastings & Prince Edward County (Belleville, Trenton, Picton area): Teachers -- 92%

Limestone (Kingston, Napanee area): Teachers and occasional teachers -- 94%, Professional Student Services Personnel -- 100%

Hamilton-Wentworth: Teachers -- 97%, Occasional Teachers -- 91%, Designated ECEs -- 91%

Peel (Mississauga, Brampton, Caledon area ): Teachers -- 94.2%, Occasional Teachers -- 91.4%

York Region (Richmond Hill, Vaughan, Newmarket, Aurora area): Teachers/Occasional Teachers -- 94%

Grand Erie (Brantford, Dunnville, Caledonia area): Teachers -- 95%, Occasional Teachers -- 94.3%, Professional Student Services Personnel -- 98%, Educational Support Staff and ECEs -- 92%

Avon Maitland (Stratford, Goderich, Exeter area ): Teacher/Occasional Teachers; Professional Student Services Personnel; Office, Clerical, Technical, Educational Assistants and ECEs -- "Overwhelming support"

Waterloo: Teachers/Occasional Teachers -- 93.4%

Thames Valley (London, St. Thomas, Woodstock area): Teachers, Occasional Teachers, Professional Student Services Personnel -- 95% (2,000 members voting)

Lambton Kent (Sarnia, Chatham-Kent area): Teachers -- 99%

Greater Essex (Windsor, Essex, Leamington area): Teachers -- 96%, Occasional Teachers -- 99%, Educational Support Staff -- 91%, Professional Student Services Personnel -- 90%

Students in Forefront of Opposition to Attacks on Teachers and Education Workers

Students across the province are in the forefront of supporting their teachers, putting the lie to the media disinformation that their rallies are against teachers. They have been holding actions on a daily basis and at every opportunity clearly express their stand against the Putting Students First Act, and support for their teachers. Their concern over the loss of extra-curricular activities is on the basis that it is the government which is at fault and the measures taken by teachers to defend their rights are a just response to a violation of everyone's rights.

Student Rallies and Walkouts

On September 19 hundreds of students from two Belleville high schools walked out of class. The same day more than 200 students from Canterbury and other Ottawa high schools converged on Dalton McGuinty's constituency office at noon. Chants of "Kill the Bill" resounded in the streets. A sign carried by one of the students declared "My first ballot won't be for you!" Other students told a local radio station they were not only fighting for arts and sports, but were acting as a voice for their teachers, who are not allowed to strike. Earlier that morning 300 students in the nearby town of Richmond "camped out" on the lawn of their high school in the morning.

On September 20, students from high schools in Bowmanville, Hanover, Flesherton and Chesley walked out of their classes. In Bowmanville hundreds of students from two high schools marched to Clarington town hall for a high-spirited rally before taking their protest to the office of Conservative MPP John O'Toole. In Flesherton, more than 800 students gathered in the sports field behind their school, some of them carrying signs and banners that read "Fight, fight for democratic rights," "115 ruins school spirit," "Teachers and students stand together" and "McGuinty stop being a bully." In addition to the high school students, 60 elementary students walked out of their school in Flesherton.

On September 21, students in Meaford, Kirkland Lake, Mississauga and Brampton organized walkouts. On September 24, more elementary students walked out. This time 50 Grade 7 and 8 students in Peterborough left their classes at 2 pm to hold a boisterous protest in their schoolyard, where they waved signs and shouted, "We want sports!" and "We have a say!"

In addition to walkouts and protests at MPPs' offices, students have been taking other initiatives to encourage their peers to speak out and act. Students have also called for a province-wide student rally at Queen's Park on Saturday, September 29 from noon to 1:30 pm. They are calling on everyone to participate and wear black in solidarity with teachers and education workers.

Student Petitions

Another initiative students have taken are on-line petitions against the Putting Students First Act and in support of teachers. Two petitions launched by students have together gathered more than 7,500 signatures. One is entitled: "Revoke Bill 115: Put Students First." The petition states:

"We the students of Ontario, strongly believe that the passing of Bill 115 and in particular its restraints on the ability of teachers to strike is morally wrong. A society where the ability to strike can be revoked based upon the agenda of the governing provincial party regardless of what those affected think, is reckless. Although the 'Right to strike' is not a constitutional right, in our nation it is generally accepted as one of the tenets of a free and fair society with modern working conditions. Without the right to strike, workers unions become useless. We urge the Ontario legislature, the Ministry of Education and Education minister Laurel Broten to not forget what working conditions were like only a century ago and the role that unions and the right to protest played in our modern labour laws."

It then calls for Bill 115 to be repealed and for teachers to be allowed to negotiate their own contracts. It concludes with a declaration that [students who sign it] "will continue to exercise our right to strike as students on behalf of our teachers, until the provincial legislature modifies the 'Putting Students First Act' so that the bill actually takes into account the opinion of students it claims to represent." A final postscript makes clear why students are concerned about the loss of extra-curricular activities: "It is also particularly important that we ensure the rights of our teachers are restored so that the impromptu 'Work to Rule' that has been occurring ends promptly. Students rely on extra curriculars for scholarships and to get into universities."

Another petition is entitled: "Protest Bill 115, The 'Putting Students First Act' and Support Teachers!" The petition reads:

"By enacting Bill 115, the so-called 'Putting Students First Act' teachers have been stripped of their right to strike. Teachers have decided to fight back. Because they no longer have the right to strike and walk out of work, all extra-curricular activities have been cancelled to fight back against the government. This means that there will be no extra help for students. This means that there will be no clubs for students. This means that there will be no sports teams for students. Everything that makes school a place that is fun and enjoyable is currently lost.

"Teachers work so hard to create these activities for us and should not be ripped off by the government. All extra-curricular activities, extra help, and coaching teachers do is VOLUNTEER BASED. THEY RECEIVE NO PAY FOR THESE ACTIVITIES. Let's show the government how we appreciate the work they do for us and support them!

"Extra-curricular activities are what bring a school community together. This is affecting students all across Ontario and is weighing heavily on students and teachers alike. Please bring things back to the way they should be."

To sign and share the two petitions go to the following links:

https://www.change.org/petitions/ontario-legislature-revoke-bill-115-put-students-first

https://www.change.org/petitions/protest-bill-115-the-putting-students-first-act-and-support-teachers

Teachers and Education Workers in Action

Following the first set of rallies held on Friday, September 14 and Saturday, September 15, on September 21 teachers and education workers from the various unions in the sector and their supporters continued to hold rallies at constituency offices of Liberal and Conservative MPPs in Guelph, Toronto and Oakville. Also on September 21, a spirited picket was held at the Caboto Club in Windsor where Finance Minister and local MPP Dwight Duncan was speaking at a noon hour Chamber of Commerce luncheon sponsored by PricewaterhouseCoopers.

Meanwhile, teachers and support staff continue to wear black to work one day a week, with many teachers having withdrawn from volunteer extra-curricular activities.

Sudbury Teachers Challenge Legitimacy of Government "Roadmap for Education"

On September 21, the Sudbury local of the Elementary Unit of the Ontario English Catholic Teachers Association (OECTA) informed via a press release that its Elementary Bargaining Unit voted unanimously to file a complaint with the Ontario Labour Relations Board against their Provincial Executive "for failing in their duty of fair representation" in its negotiation and signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the government of Ontario on July 5, 2012. The MOU signed with OECTA under a great deal of pressure was used by the government to try and claim that thousands of teachers were signing onto the government's roadmap. The press release states that OECTA members and even presidents were deprived of the right to refuse the MOU, representing a violation of their fundamental rights. This revelation reveals the lie of the McGuinty government's script about "55,000 Ontario teachers who signed onto the roadmap" and raises serious questions about the legitimacy of the deal the government pressured OECTA into signing that the government is now forcing on the entire school board sector.

Kent MacNeill, President of OECTA's Sudbury Elementary Unit, points out in the press release: "We believe that in our society, democracy should reign supreme. Everyone should have the right to vote. Everyone should have the right to give input into their working conditions. The MofU took away these fundamental rights from my members. Even worse, my members lost significantly more under this MofU than any other unit in the province, as stated by the Provincial President, yet they cannot refuse to accept this MofU. In fact, when the Presidents from all OECTA Units were called down to a Special Council of Presidents Meeting in July, we were told that even if the Council should fail to endorse the MofU, it was ratified by the Provincial Executive and so was a done deal."

Ottawa Rally to Support Teachers and
Education Workers

Protest at Ontario Liberal Party Annual General Meeting
Friday, September 28 -- 4:30 pm
Ottawa Convention Centre, 55 Colonel By Drive
Please park at the Convention Centre and meet out front.

On Friday, September 28, teachers, education workers and their supporters in Ottawa will hold a rally at the Ontario Liberal Party's Annual General Meeting to oppose the attacks on teachers and education workers by the McGuinty government. The event is entitled: "Set the Tone for the Weekend" and calls on everyone to: "Show Premier McGuinty, cabinet, caucus, riding associations and OLP members what you think of infringements on your collective bargaining rights." Everyone is encouraged to attend!


Unfortunately I have to work at the same time as the rally at the Liberal convention :(

[blake 3:17]

An OSSTF District 12 strike vote got 93.4%. Friends in OSSTF said there was a high participation rate. District 12 is Toronto.

There`s a District 12 blog here: http://www.osstfd12.com/

Latest public polls show support for McGuinty at record lows, with the hard right Tories and the fairly mushy NDP at 37% and 35% respectively.

OPSEU appears to gearing up to fight the wage freeze.

[JoeySteel]

Updates on actions against Bill 115 from the first anniversary issue of Ontario Political Forum for October 1, 2012 http://www.cpcml.ca/OPF2012/OPF2001.HTM#10



Militant Actions Against McGuinty Government's Attacks on Teachers and Education Workers
Spirited Demonstration at Ontario Liberal Party Annual Meeting

Education workers and their supporters demonstrated the evening of Friday, September 28 in front of the Ottawa Convention Centre where the Ontario Liberal Party was holding its Annual General Meeting. Demonstrators started gathering across from the Convention Centre at 4:30 pm and by 6:30 pm the ranks swelled to nearly 1,000 people with pickets filling both sides of the street. Hundreds of passing motorists along the busy road honked horns in support throughout the action.

Education workers at all levels of the Ontario education system who, as one demonstrator put it, are the backbone of the education system, were present to express their outrage at the McGuinty government's Bill 115, the Putting Students First Act, 2012. Among participants were teachers and workers represented by Elementary Teachers' Federation of Ontario (ETFO), Ottawa Carleton Elementary Teachers' Federation (OCETF), Ontario Secondary School Teachers' Federation (OSSTF), Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU), Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC), Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW), members of the Ontario English Catholic Teachers Association (OECTA) and students.

Union representatives handed out a leaflet to the delegates to the Liberal meeting entitled "Education workers: Standing up for the Charter." The leaflet reads:

"Dear Ontario Liberal AGM Delegates,

"We are nearly 200,000 teachers, secretaries, custodians, educational assistants, food service workers, early childhood educators, library technicians and other support personnel working at elementary and high schools in your riding and across Ontario. We understand you are concerned about balancing the provincial budget. So are we. But are you really sure Ontario voters want you to take more than $2 billion out of school budgets to achieve that balance?

"Are you sure Ontarians think it's okay to override the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms -- the Charter your party brought to Canada in the first place?

"Our students deserve the best. Don't sacrifice classroom spending and the Charter for your own crass political gain.

"There is always a better way. Stand up for democratic rights. Call for the repeal of Bill 115."

Around 7:00 pm, several union representatives spoke to the crowd. The message was loud and clear: education workers and teachers will not stand by while they are deprived of their rights and one of the best education systems in the world is attacked! Repeal Bill 115 and restore our rights! Some speakers expressed their appreciation of the fact that students across Ontario supported the education workers and one pointed out that students had held a demonstration in front of McGuinty's constituency office almost simultaneously. Many speakers expressed that teachers and education workers should not have to "pay for the sins of the monied class." One person's remarks raised laughter and applause when he said that he thanked McGuinty for one thing: "He has made social activists of us all!" Another quoted McGuinty who at one time had said, speaking of his family and something his father had said, that "None of us is as strong as all of us," adding, "McGuinty, you are really 'none of us' while 'all of us' will remain strong!" This speaker summed it all up by saying, "McGuinty, the only crisis in education is the one you have created. You will never legislate our good will and cooperation."

Students Demonstrate at Queen's Park

Students from Bramalea Secondary School in Brampton organized a successful rally at Queen's Park on September 29 to stand with Ontario teachers and education workers to demand the repeal of Bill 115, the Putting Students First Act.

The rally conveyed the firm conviction of the students that this anti-education bill must be defeated because it is unjust, undemocratic and is not only an attack on the rights of teachers and students' right to education, but an attack on the rights of all workers.

Kayla Smith, one of the students who organized the rally and the emcee for the event, affirmed students' recognition of the right of teachers and education workers to defend the gains made by their predecessors and that such a stand defends the interests of all public sector workers and society as a whole. She demanded that the government sit down with the unions and negotiate in good faith for a fair contract. She emphasized that students have worked out their own thinking and will not be dissuaded by the disinformation from the government or the media and will "vehemently defend the rights of our teachers in this fight."

Timothy Yu, a teacher from Brampton also spoke at the rally to salute the students for their action and underscored the necessity to defy unjust laws such as Bill 115 which negate rights and prevent people from having a say in matters which affect their lives.

Peter Tabuns, MPP for Toronto-Danforth and NDP Education Critic also spoke in support of the student action and the repeal of Bill 115.

Tejas Gandhi, another student organizer from Bramalea Secondary School said that when extra-curricular activities stopped, students really began to look into the issue. They realized that teachers gave thousands of hours of their time to help students and provide sports, clubs and other activities which are invaluable to students' education. It was this loss that got the students to rally behind their teachers and initiate various actions to support them, he said.

The issue also contains coverage of the removal of public sector collective bargaining rights in the so-called Respecting Collective Bargaining Act.

[The Intransigent Faction]

Here's an update:

http://rabble.ca/news/2012/12/students-across-ontario-walk-out-against-bill-115

There was another article on this the other day in the Mississauga News...one of those rare times a front page made me smile. :D

Despite the media's best efforts to play the crusader for extra-curriculars, the very students on whose behalf they try to claim indignation not only aren't buying it, but are marching to MPP offices demanding the repeal of Bill 115. These guys/gals are seriously a model for their communities in terms of far-sighted class-consciousness.

Also I love how the article points out the effectiveness of decentralized action *hinthint*.

[JoeySteel]

Update from Ontario Political Forum December 11, 2012 http://www.cpcml.ca/OPF2012/OP0213.HTM


Ongoing Actions to Defeat Bill 115
Teachers and Education Workers, Students and Supporters Say "No Means No!"

Elementary Teachers Begin One-Day Rotating Strikes

On December 10 members of the Elementary Teachers' Federation of Ontario (ETFO) began rotating strikes involving full withdrawal of services for one day, starting with schools in the Avon Maitland (Huron and Perth Counties) and Ontario North East (between Temagami and Hearst) School Boards. On December 11 the strikes move to the Niagara and Keewatin-Patricia District Boards. For more information about the dates and locations of the one day strikes as they are announced click here.

Members of OSSTF Escalate Sanctions and Hold
Vote on a Day of Political Protest

As of December 10, Ontario Secondary School Teachers' Federation (OSSTF) members escalated their work-to-rule sanctions at schools around the province to include withdrawing from all extra-curricular and voluntary activities in response to the Minister of Education's interference in the collective bargaining process. In a message to members, OSSTF General Secretary Pierre Cote wrote, "We cannot simply acquiesce to such an attack on our collective agreements and such a gross violation of our constitutional rights. A school system in which teachers and support staff are stripped of fundamental civil and human rights cannot long remain strong. Only through free collective bargaining can we establish the decent, supportable working conditions that become the students' learning conditions and, indeed, their own future working conditions. Our good will and the contributions that arise there from will return when we have the opportunity to ratify freely negotiated collective agreements. Until then, in defence of the education system and our rights as citizens and workers we will stand in solidarity with our colleagues around the province."

OSSTF has also announced that membership votes will be taken in all districts this week on a province-wide day of political protest to call for the repeal of Bill 115.

Teachers and Education Workers' Rallies Continue

Teachers, other education workers and their supporters continue to hold rallies to demand the repeal of Bill 115 at MPPs' offices, outside the Liberal Party Leadership Debates and in other public venues around the province with more actions scheduled well into January. On December 3, several hundred teachers, education workers, parents and other supporters also marched outside the Toronto District School Board to protest the Board's actions related to Bill 115, in particular principals being allowed to withhold Student Progress Reports that had been completed by teachers in accordance with Ministry of Education guidelines, contributing to tensions and confusion in the system.

Students Walk Out over Bill 115

On December 10, coinciding with the withdrawal from all extra-curricular and other voluntary activities by their teachers, students at many high schools around the province began holding walkouts, with most blaming Bill 115 for the loss of these activities and calling for its repeal. Many students expressed support for their teachers as they had during walkouts earlier in the fall. Some of the walkouts that were reported on December 10 took place in London, Sarnia, Chatham and elsewhere in the Thames Valley and Lambton-Kent Boards; in Hamilton, Niagara Region, Toronto, York and Durham Regions, Simcoe and Kingston. More walkouts are expected throughout the week, with a mass protest announced for Thursday December 13 at 1 pm at Queen's Park.

Bracebridge Protesters Call Their Conservative MPP to Account

On Friday, December 7 over 200 secondary, elementary teachers and education workers of the Trillium Lakelands School Board, held a protest at Conservative MPP Parry Sound-Muskoka MPP Norm Miller's Bracebridge office to call him to account for voting for Bill 115 this past summer. Parents and children leafleted the community encouraging support for the protest. They arrived with banners and placards and encouraged the many honks that filled the streets.

"We're here to stick up against bullies, and the No. 1 thing we're against is the fact that we've lost two rights that everybody else in Ontario has. They have the right to go to the Ontario Labour Relations Board, and teachers do not. Teachers also do not have the right to appeal to the court system for a fair hearing against this draconian legislation that turns Ontario into a dictatorship," said Monck Public School teacher Sandy Long. Long teaches grade 7 and 8 students.

"With this whole bullying thing, it really touches home to them [the students] as well, and we've had a lot of support from them," he said. "I think Mr. McGuinty and the Liberal government, and even the Conservatives who supported them, have to realize that it takes a lot to tick off a kindergarten teacher or a Grade 1 teacher, and to get those very, very kind and patient people, to push them out onto the streets to protest."

Trillium Lakelands Elementary Teachers Local Vice-President Karen Bratina condemned Bill 115 for putting the "government above the courts of Ontario" and "above the Labour Relations Act. The message is we won't stop until the Bill 115 is repealed or gone completely, it needs to be repealed completely or severely modified," she said. "We cannot as educators in Ontario accept a legislated bill that takes away our democratic and constitutional rights that we've worked so hard to earn."

Rally Against Austerity Agenda at PC Leader Tim Hudak's Office

More than 100 teachers, steelworkers, educational support staff, teaching assistants from McMaster, building trades workers and community members participated in a vigorous rally at Tim Hudak's office in Beamsville on December 7. For more than 90 minutes with a militant spirit of "No Means No!" they demonstrated their opposition to Bill 115 and the anti-social austerity agenda being promoted by the McGuinty government and the Hudak Conservatives.

The rally was addressed by Rolf Gerstenberger, President of Local 1005 USW who began by congratulating the secondary school teachers for voting No! to Bill 115, and for not being cowed down by all the threats being made against the teachers. Opposing this bill is rallying point not only for everyone to support the teachers, but for all those fighting for rights, Rolf pointed out.

Bill Mahoney, a Local 1005 retiree then recited a poem opposing the austerity agenda. The next speaker was Daniel Peat, the President of the St. Catharines and Area Labour Council who is also a secondary school teacher who expressed the Council's determination to oppose Bill 115 and to force the government to withdraw the bill. Mary Long, President of the Hamilton and District Labour Council then addressed the rally followed by Dylan Shannon, President of the Niagara Area Steelworkers' Council who expressed support for the teachers and outlined that the steelworkers' stand is to "Stand Up, Fight Back." Darren Green, President of the Hamilton and Area Steelworker Council also expressed support for the struggle of the teachers. Marlin Picken, a CUPE member invited everyone to the rally being held in Hamilton on December 15 at 10:00 am at the Hamilton City Hall to oppose Bill 115. The rally's closing remarks were made by Jake Lombardo, Chair of Local 1005's Political Action Committee who stated that this was the second picket being held at Hudak's office, and is part of the provincial effort to defeat all those who are promoting the austerity agenda in the next provincial election.



Oppose the Austerity Agenda to Pay the Rich!
Build the Independent Politics of the Working Class!

Representatives of the political parties at the forefront of the neo-liberal agenda in Ontario are stepping up their offensive against the workers and people in the province. In the latest developments, Education Minister Laurel Broten continues to threaten teachers. Quoted in the Ottawa Citizen on December 10, she said would use her arbitrary executive powers under Bill 115, the Putting Students First Act, to impose contracts if agreements are not in place by December 31, the deadline put in place by the bill.

Broten's announcement is a continuation of the attempts to dictate to teachers what they can and cannot do. Last week, she made every effort to divide teachers by blaming their organizations for the problems which really started with the implementation of Bill 115 as it rescinded all of the previous arrangements under which teachers and their local boards participated in determining teachers working conditions and student's learning conditions. Teachers gave a resounding NO! to the Education Minister's tactics with a 92 per cent vote in favour of holding province-wide protests if Broten uses the broad powers under Bill 115. Nevertheless, the Liberals are continuing to try to find a way to impose conditions on teachers and sideline them in order to take $2.19 billion out of public education. Meanwhile, the Hudak Conservatives continued to push the Liberals to use the arbitrary powers immediately, revealing once again the one-two punch of the Liberals and PCs as the parties to pass the austerity agenda and impose the neo-liberal project to take money out the economy to pay the rich.

Later in the week on December 7, Broten also continued attempts to undermine local governance of publicly-funded education when she imposed a "special assistance team" on the Toronto District School Board to deal with its "financial problems." The Minister's dictate is based on a report by consulting firm PricewaterhouseCoopers which calls for closing 10 to15 schools and laying off 700 workers. It is further evidence of the attempts to replace publicly elected and run school boards with "special interests" to facilitate private delivery of public education in Ontario.[1]

Elsewhere, outgoing Finance Minister Dwight Duncan, in a speech to the Toronto Board of Trade, warned that "Ontario has to make some "difficult choices" and that "all the choices haven't been made." He also said: "the province cannot waver on the strong actions needed to drive down the current $14.4-billion deficit by 2017-18 or even earlier" and that "the province needs to keep its average annual growth rate at 1.5 per cent, and that can only be achieved by unpopular decisions like decreasing program spending and freezing public-sector wages." As if words would distinguish him and his Liberal Party from the Hudak PCs despite having the same plans, Duncan argued that "the Tory plan to lower taxes would amount to billions of dollars in cuts to health, education and social services." In response, Progressive Conservative MPP Lisa MacLeod was quoted as saying: "He really isn't someone who will be involved in the decision making in the province's finances in the next five years." But who's kidding who? The back-and-forth between the two parties does not do anything to hide that both have the same agenda for Ontario which is to remove as much as they can from the social economy which workers and people rely on for their well-being so that more wealth can be siphoned off by the rich under the guise of governments operating under "exceptional circumstances."

As if the attack on people's consciousness was not already enough, Tim Hudak entered the fray at a December 4 news conference with ideas for further privatization of public services, particularly the LCBO. Hudak's announcement is his attempt to show what his party has planned for the province to allow private interests to make big scores by selling off public assets.

Race to the Bottom Agenda

Among the most worrisome aspects of Bill 115 and the austerity agenda for the workers and people is the attempt to drive down everyone's standard of living and demand that this be accepted without question. This is an insult to the consciousness of human beings and the dignity of labour. It also has adverse consequences for uniting workers and people in the fight to defeat the anti-social offensive so that the space is opened for discussion together on how to bring in new arrangements that will resolve the problems in society and in people's lives in their favour. Bill 115 and the overall austerity agenda are forcing people to accept concessions in their working lives and also in their collective consciousness for the recognition of the rights of all. In its place is growing competition and individualism and the pressure to accept that there is no working class with common interests and instead "just individuals and families." It is putting pressure on people to argue, for example, that "teachers should accept what they get." But to their credit the teachers are standing up and saying NO! and asserting that this fight is for the rights of all, for an improvement in the standard of living and for the dignity of labour.

Illegitimate Agenda

Bill 115 and the overall austerity agenda continue to be illegitimate and are revealing this reality every day. The illegitimacy of Bill 115, for example, is revealed by the Liberal government itself which has isolated Minister Broten to fight for the implementation of Bill 115 on her own. The rest of the Liberal brass, including the premier himself, have jumped ship in the wake of broad opposition to their plans which gave rise to their defeat in the Kitchener-Waterloo by-election.

The latest announcements by representatives of both the Liberals and PCs will not solve any of the problems being faced by people and in fact will make them worse. In the midst of opposition to Bill 115, these announcements present themselves as distractions for the workers and people. They have the aim of crushing the resistnace of the people to the anti-social offensive. But the teachers are demonstrating that they will not be overwhelmed or sidetracked in the fight to defend their rights. Teachers have every right and a duty to do so especially considering what these parties represent.

[blake 3:17]

It is very very hard to see how it's going to play out. Folks I know in OSSTF, ETFO and CUPE are all very confused. If you are a member of any of the unions involved or are employed by a school board, keep your pay stubs!

The teachers unions have been so close to the Ontario Liberals, they don't know what to do. And the way 115 is worded, it's all on Broten, at present, with the party leadership election by January 27. There is a possibility of a relative sweetheart deal with a section of the unions, while they go on the warpath against OPSEU and CUPE.

There's been a number of new left formations which are getting more serious. Leftists in OSSTF have been baited as strike breakers and scabs for suggesting alternative tactics to the withdrawal of ECs. Mostly nobody has a clue what's going on. The highschoolers are great, but they ain't gonna make or break it.

[blake 3:17]

Half of Ontario public elementary school teachers walk out
Extracurricular activities may be curtailed if contract imposed, says union leader

Thousands of public elementary teachers in Ontario stayed away from their classrooms Tuesday to protest legislation that has given the provincial government the power to impose contracts on them and to quash future strikes.

The Elementary Teachers' Federation of Ontario said the daylong strikes held at hundreds of public elementary schools in eight Ontario school boards involved 35,000 teachers — nearly half of the union’s full membership — including nearly 14,000 teachers in the Toronto area alone.

The strikes, dubbed by some as "Super Tuesday," marked the public elementary teachers' single biggest day of action in a series of one-day rotating strikes that began last week.

The Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario has given three days’ notice for each of the single-day strikes.


Staff at public elementary schools in Toronto, Durham Region, Peel Region, Greater Essex County, Lambton-Kent, Grand Erie, Near North and Waterloo Region were all taking part in the strikes Tuesday.

Teachers are protesting Bill 115, the Putting Students First Act, which prevents teachers from striking and freezes the wages for most, while allowing younger teachers to still move up the salary grid.

Full article: http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/story/2012/12/17/toronto-elementary-school-walkout-strikes-tuesday.html

[blake 3:17]

Talking to teachers: Striking Toronto teachers say they won’t back down on anti-Bill 115 protest

On the picket lines Tuesday, teachers told the Star what they expect to happen after the deadline for collective bargaining passes Dec. 31. Many agree the labour strife will not end anytime soon — and they are bracing themselves for a fight that could last up to two years.

Manuel Liu, Grade 8 teacher at Glen Ames Senior Public School:

Liu, the ETFO steward for his school, said the union would not stop until Bill 115 was repealed.

“It could escalate into a political protest or a full illegal strike, like what happened when Mike Harris was in power,” he said. The Harris-era strike lasted two weeks.

“All we know is that this isn’t going away and there needs to be an escalation if the government is not hearing us.”

“Teachers need to stand up for our rights and the rights of other future employees in this province.”

Jen McColl, Grade 7/8 teacher at Glen Ames Senior Public School:

“I don’t see us backing down and I don’t see them backing down,” McColl said, adding that the union would never accept a contract that is imposed on them and not negotiated.

“I think it’s going to be a continued fight, because Laurel Broten seems determined to stay on this path.”

Clare McCrea, kindergarten teacher at Kew Beach Jr. Elementary School:

“I don’t think it will be resolved next year. I think it’ll take a couple years, at least.”

“The two sides need to come together and I don’t see it happening any time soon.”

With a sigh, McCrea said her lesson plans would continue to suffer as she is required to leave work immediately after school.

“It could mean no extracurriculars for the next two years. It’s a possibility,” she said. “I’m not able to create the most detailed, the most visual lessons I would like to create.”

“But ultimately (the strike) is about the long-term, not about the short-term.”

Full article: http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/education/article/1304236--talking-to-teachers-striking-toronto-teachers-say-they-won-t-back-down-on-anti-bill-115-protest

[JoeySteel]

Today's Ontario Political Forum updates on Bill 115
http://cpcml.ca/OPF2013/OP0217.HTM

Minister Imposes Contracts -- Then Says Bill 115 to Be Repealed
• No to the Criminalization of Opposition to Austerity! Defeat the Liberals and Conservatives!
• Oppose Minister's 11th Hour Blackmail Against Public Sector Workers - Mira Katz

Challenges Facing the Working Class in 2013
• Build Unity in Action to Defeat the Austerity Agenda!
• Who Should Decide the Direction of Public Education? - Dan Cerri and Jane Steeple

and for those in Toronto:

Rally for Rights and Democracy
Protest at Ontario Liberal Party Convention in Toronto
Saturday, January 26 -- 1:00 pm
Rally at Allan Gardens (Gerrard and Sherbourne) followed by a march to the Convention at Maple Leaf Gardens
Organized by: Ontario Federation of Labour

[blake 3:17]

From today's Toronto Star:

Ontario teacher dispute: Turmoil far from over as Education Minister Laurel Broten imposes contracts

...

The contracts freeze wages for two years but let new teachers move up the salary grid starting in February. They cut sick days to 10 from 20 and end the practice of cashing them in at retirement in terms that mirror a deal negotiated with the Ontario English Catholic Teachers’ Association last summer. Broten has said banked sick days were a $1.4 billion liability on Ontario’s books, and limiting raises will save about $800 million over two years, all key to erasing the province’s $14 billion deficit.

Ironically, Broten had said her goal in asking cabinet to repeal a law she admits has become a “lightning rod” was to encourage teachers to return to after-school programs.

In the short run, it seems to have failed. Union leaders did not promise to call off the after-school boycotts that have robbed schools this year of everything from concerts to curriculum nights and threaten to drag into the extracurricular dry spell teachers waged under former premier Mike Harris.

“The minister has used a hammer to dictate a contract and a decade of good will has been squandered in 10 months,” said Hammond, who will meet with union officials early next week to decide what to do next — including whether to hold a provincewide day of political protest, although once a contract is in place, a walkout would be considered an illegal strike.

Likewise, Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation officials will meet Jan. 9 to discuss next steps, but president Ken Coran warned it will take a long time for hard feelings over Bill 115 to go away.

“The majority of our members have said the imposition of contracts would be the breaking point in their respect for the government.”

The head of the Ontario Public School Boards’ Association agreed. “This move does nothing to ensure labour peace or restore extracurricular activities,” predicted Michael Barrett, who said the disruptions “might very well” last until the contracts expire.


Full article: http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/politics/article/1309979--laurel-broten-to-impose-contracts-on-ontario-public-school-teachers

[blake 3:17]

A message to the OSSTF leadership from a rank & file caucus: https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=kApHAO7QIBA#!

[JoeySteel]

A message to the OSSTF leadership from a rank & file caucus: https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=kApHAO7QIBA#!

I was just about to post this :lol:

The video is very good and these rank and file union members are explicitly calling for independent working class politics which is very important. I hope it is shared widely especially among education workers.

[blake 3:17]

ETFO is going out tomorrow. OSSTF might go out next Wednesday. Press release here: http://www.osstf.on.ca/MR-Jan-09-2013

The OSSTF leadership is looking incompetent, but whatever...

[Die Neue Zeit]

Part and parcel of the capitalist offensive, also known as Austerity. The only question now is do we settle for defensive moves or are we ready for offensive ones? Sadly, expecting even the former may be a reach at this point.

I think your question is wrong. Readying for the offensive and going on the offense is an imperative. Anyway, it's not much of a bourgeois stretch to declare every form of labour as "essential." :glare:

[JoeySteel]

Edit: The shameful government tool the OLRB has just ruled tomorrow's political protest illegal and the ETFO says they will comply with the ruling, ugh.

Hope everyone here in Ontario can go spend at least a few minutes out with the ETFO one day strike today (January 11). See this page http://www.etfo.ca/ContactUs/TeacherLocals/Pages/default.aspx for lists of ETFO locals and find details from there.

From yesterday's Ontario Political Forum http://www.cpcml.ca/OPF2013/OP0218.HTM



Step Up the Work to Reverse the Anti-Social Offensive
Take a Bold Stand Together to Affirm the Rights of All!

Education Minister Laurel Broten announced on January 3 that she was imposing contracts on all remaining teachers' and education workers' bargaining units that had not voluntarily agreed to her government's dictated anti-social parameters during "negotiations." Then she said she would repeal Bill 115 by the end of January, right around the time the new Liberal leader will be chosen.

Ontario Political Forum denounces this attempt to complete the dirty work of the McGuinty government in the hope that the new Liberal leader can start with an alleged clean slate or supposed clean hands. The Liberals claim that their attacks on teachers and education workers are needed to protect the economy. This is to hide the removal of billions from education and other social programs and public trusts to pay the rich. The Conservatives meanwhile claim that if they were in power they would have kept Bill 115. They suggest that the way to go forward is not with a carrot but with the stick. First the Liberals responded by saying this shows that the working people of Ontario are better off with them than with the "Tea Party" Tories. Now the Liberals are themselves adopting the Tory stick -- threatening the teachers and education workers and their unions and union leaders with dire consequences if they persist in fighting to affirm their rights.

All of it shows the mockery the Liberals and PCs make of government. Their logic is that government is at their disposal so that on behalf of the rich they can steal public funds one way or another and declare that this is about "the economy" and that somehow they represent a "vision for society."

It is a fraud from A to Z. All we get is one scheme after another to maintain control over the public purse. Meanwhile, the Liberal leadership convention has become about sweetheart deals to secure support for this or that leadership contender, while the Conservatives use this backdrop to present themselves as a legitimate "government in waiting." No one but the rich benefit from the sale of such snake oil.

Ontario teachers and education workers have done all Ontarians proud by standing their ground and saying NO! to Bill 115 and no to the violation of their rights. The Liberals and PCs are hoping beyond hope that they can put this behind them without stopping their attacks on the workers. Far from it, Ontario workers must now step up their organizing, to further position themselves to reverse the anti-social offensive in Ontario and further develop the fight for the rights of all. By standing their ground and defeating both the Liberals and PCs the cause of all working Ontarians will be served. It will put governments on notice that they will be held to account for attacking the rights of Ontarians.

Public Elementary Teachers to Hold a Day of Protest

The Elementary Teachers' Federation of Ontario (ETFO) has announced that it will hold a day of political protest on Friday, January 11 against the government's use of Bill 115 to impose contracts. Ken Coran, President of the Ontario Secondary School Teachers' Federation subsequently announced that secondary school teachers would do the same on January 16. All of it has deepened the crisis in which the McGuinty Liberals are mired. They have the choice to withdraw the attacks on teachers and education workers. Instead, the state-organized attacks against them will increase, McGuinty declared.

Ontario Political Forum calls on everyone to condemn these state-organized attacks on rights and show their support for whatever resistance actions the teachers plan. This is an important expression of all Ontarians' determination to hold the government to account for its violation of rights.

"Based on a solid majority vote taken in December, ETFO teachers, designated early childhood educators (DECEs), professional support personnel (PSP), and education support personnel (ESP) across Ontario will stage a one-day political protest this Friday aimed at the government and education minister for invoking Bill 115," said ETFO's announcement of its day of protest.

"The minister made a deliberate and provocative choice to wipe out the democratic rights of tens of thousands of educators rather than work towards a respectful solution," said Sam Hammond, President of ETFO. "She could have taken our olive branch and waited for a new leader to try and find solutions, but she chose not to."

"Our members are standing up to say that democratic values must trump party politics in this province. What happened to educators must not happen to any other Ontarian. The stain of Bill 115, enacted four months ago this Friday, serves as a permanent reminder of that."

Ninety-two per cent of more than 46,000 members who cast a ballot in December voted in favour of a one-day political protest should the minister impose contracts using Bill 115. She did so on January 3.

"This protest is aimed squarely at the government and education minister, not those school boards who pursued legal collective bargaining with our locals. It is shameful that the minister tied their hands with the limiting parameters of Bill 115. The government can prorogue the Legislature but it can't prorogue democracy."

"It is disingenuous for Minister Broten to say that the government has not been able to communicate with the rank and file members of our Federation," added Hammond. "Our members have heard her, and have responded -- not just with the one-day protest vote. They spoke with huge majorities in two other votes to protest Bill 115 when it was enacted last fall."

Also in this issue:


Discussion on Liberal Shenanigans Around Bill 115
• Premier Asks Unions to "Put the Past Behind Them" - Laura Chesnik
• Goodwill Requires the Affirmation of Rights - Mira Katz
• What to Make of the Repeal of Bill 115 - Dan Cerri
• Reponse of Unions and School Boards to Repeal of Bill 115

[JoeySteel]

http://cpcml.ca/OPF2013/OP0219.HTM

Some excerpts from today's Ontario Political Forum on the teachers' struggle, the OLRB ruling of illegality, and tactics of the workers' opposition in Ontario currently.



Labour Board Declares Elementary Teachers' Protest Illegal
Illegitimate Ruling Based on Illegitimate Contracts

Ontario Political Forum denounces the McGuinty government for imposing "collective agreements" on public elementary and secondary teachers and then using these illegitimate "agreements" to obtain an illegitimate ruling from the Labour Board. How can a collective agreement, which was imposed on one party without its agreement be in any way considered an "agreement" or in any way legitimate? In its ruling the Labour Board claimed that the fact that the "agreement" was imposed was not important, rather what was important was that teachers and education workers not be permitted to carry out their protest as this might undermine the labour relations regime. This irrational rationale shows the extent to which the old arrangements in which workers had a say in their wages and working conditions in return for labour peace no longer function. However, instead of renewing these arrangements in order to block dictate and have some form of balance, the Labour Board is being used to further criminalize teachers and education workers for refusing to submit to the theft of billions from education and the negation of their rights.

...

Teachers and education workers want to be law-abiding; the problem is that this pro-rogue government is going all out to try and turn law abiding citizens who won't submit to their dictate into criminals. It wants to ram through the theft of billions of dollars from education, something the public does not support. The political will of Ontarians is in clear conflict with the legal will of the pro-roguers. The situation must be resolved in favour of the people by creating the conditions to select and elect their own representatives to government. Only then can the political will of Ontarians be transformed into a legal will which they can hold to account. The first step is to defeat both the Liberals and PCs in the next election. It can be done!

...


All Out for January 26 Rally for Rights and Democracy
No to Austerity! Defeat the Liberals and PCs!

...

As previously pointed out in Ontario Political Forum, recalling the Legislature can be successful if it goes hand in hand with a program of political renewal whereby the workers organize their peers to put forward politics that resolve the crisis in favour of the working people, not the rich. At this time, this means demanding the reversal of the anti-social offensive.

The working class has shown that it is quite capable of sorting out its own independent politics that defend its own interests. They have drawn a line in the sand to fight back against the austerity agenda. They will not give in to the pressure to accept going back to business as usual where the political parties advance their agenda and demand that the working class divide itself among these politicians and do as they're told. Quite the opposite; the unity in action of the working class in the Kitchener-Waterloo by-election showed that the independent voice of the working class putting forward its own aim is the way to go to defend its interests.

Finally, as part of their mobilization for the rally, workers and people should deliberate on what economic and democratic rights mean for them, based on their direct experiences. This includes what direction should be set for the economy so that their rights are guaranteed and no justification, such as debts and deficits, can be used to attack these rights.

All Out for the January 26 Rally for Rights and Democracy! A pro-social direction for the economy, Yes! Austerity, No!

...

Oppose Bogus Policy Debate Over
Better Ways to Implement Austerity
- Enver Villamizar -

...

In this debate over how to restore the "goodwill" with teachers and education workers, all the candidates have made it absolutely clear that whatever policy option gets implemented after the convention -- contracts torn up, new negotiations, or water under the bridge -- it will all be within the government's "fiscal parameters" of paying down the odious debt and deficit as demanded by the rich.

It is precisely these fiscal parameters that are the central issue which must is being fought out. The Liberals and PCs passed Bill 115 in order to forcefully extract $2.19 billion from education to pay the debt and deficit, all in the name of "restraint." But there is no restraint required of the moneylenders and various monopolies who are demanding their pound of flesh from the public purse. It is these anti-social parameters and the direction for the society embedded within them that are unacceptable and will only make the situation for Ontarians worse. It is this that is being rejected by teachers and education workers, not simply the draconian process by which the theft is carried out.

Poll Results Reveal Extent of Opposition to
Austerity Agenda
- Dan Cerri -

Elections Ontario has released detailed results for 255 polls in the Kitchener-Waterloo by-election which reveal the extent to which the working class and people delivered a blow to the austerity agenda being advocated by both the Liberals and Conservatives. The results indicate a higher than average voter turnout compared to most by-elections, with 47 per cent of the electorate turning out on September 6. The voter turnout for the by-election held in Vaughan on the same day was 25 per cent. Although the higher turnout undoubtedly made a difference in the NDP victory, the results also indicate that the practical politics taken up by the working class to defeat the austerity agenda of the Liberals and Conservatives, including Bill 115, proved vital.

...

The results indicate that what was decisive was the mobilization of the working class and people who advanced their independent voice which focused on resisting, in an organized way, austerity and the never-ending pay-the-rich schemes. The people in the riding were seeking some way to voice their concerns and the aim to defeat the Liberals and Conservatives as the main advocates for the austerity agenda was a political expression of that sentiment. The NDP electoral machine was then able to deliver the vote.

One of the biggest achievements in the K-W by-election was that the working people showed that they could advance their own interests, even within the scenario of sectarian party politics. In this case, a decision was taken to use the by-election to express rejection of the austerity agenda. It gave people new-found confidence that an organized workers' opposition can make a difference in their favour. It showed that bringing out public opinion and giving it a political expression is the key, repeated with the work to repeal Bill 115. This will remain the key moving forward.

Upcoming Actions at MPPs' Offices

Toronto
Condemn Bill 115 on 1/15 -- Protest at Ministry of Education
Tuesday, January 15 -- 5:00-7:00 pm
Mowat Block, Bay and Wellesley

Pickering
Tracy MacCharles, Liberal -- Pickering-Scarborough East
Wednesday, January 16 -- 3:45 - 5:00 pm
300 Kingston Road

Ajax
Joe Dickson, Liberal -- Ajax-Pickering
Wednesday, January 16 -- 3:45 - 5:00 pm
50 Commercial Avenue

Hamilton
Ted McMeekin, Liberal -- Ancaster-Dundas-Flamborough-Westdale
Wednesday, January 16 -- 3:00 - 4:30 pm
229 Dundas St. East, Waterdown

Sarnia
Robert Bailey, Liberal -- Sarnia-Lambton
Wednesday, January 16 -- 2:30 - 4:30 pm
836 Upper Canada Drive

Chatham
Rick Nicholls, Conservative -- Chatham-Essex-Kent
Wednesday, January 16 -- 2:30 - 4:30 pm
Suite 100, 111 Heritage Road

Barrie
March for Workers' Rights
Wednesday, January 16
Meet 4:30 pm at Georgian Mall (SW corner) and walk 3.5 km.
Arrive 5:30 pm at Rod Jackson's office, Conservative -- Barrie
20 Bell Farm Road

Niagara Falls
Kim Craitor, Liberal MPP -- Niagara Falls
Thursday, January 17 -- 3:30 pm
Mount Carmel Plaza, 3930 Montrose Road

St. Catharines
Jim Bradley, Liberal MPP -- St. Catharines
Wednesday, January 23 -- 3:30 pm
2 Secord Drive

Toronto
Rally for Rights and Democracy --
Protest at Ontario Liberal Party Convention
Saturday, January 26 -- 1:00 pm
Allan Gardens (Gerrard and Sherbourne) followed by a march to the
Convention at Maple Leaf Gardens
Organized by: Ontario Federation of Labour

[blake 3:17]

@JS -- Thanks for following this too and posting on it. In terms of pickets and protests at MPPs offices I would try to push for some movement on protection for tenants, access to education and recreation, rights for the unemployed, access to healthcare, and public transit.

I'll be focused on the rally of the 26th. There's a possibility of extracting a few concessions from a new Liberal leader. I think the next election is going to be a three way race. A Hudak government will be something of a disaster -- my hopes for the other two are so low. I'll probably end up volunteering for the NDP. An NDP win is a best case scenario, and that's not so inspiring... Hudak is crazy in a bad way.

[JoeySteel]

Similar to in the case of the student strike in Quebec, a defeat of the Liberals and PCs in Ontario is now bound up with the fight against Bill 115 and the imposed "contracts". The experience in Kitchener-Waterloo shows the working class can defeat the Liberals and PCs and that this is a step in the development of the workers' opposition. It's true that anything teachers can do to link their struggle with that of the broader working class and people is a positive step. Keep up the good work.

[JoeySteel]

Updates on the efforts of the Ontario Labour Relations Board to criminalize teachers' withdrawal from voluntary activities. A few days old now but worth a read.

http://cpcml.ca/OPF2013/OP0222.HTM#1



New Premier: No Still Means No!
Oppose Use of Labour Board to Criminalize
Teachers and Education Workers

- Mira Katz -

The government-imposed collective non-agreements continue to cause chaos in the education sector. The Ontario Labour Relations Board (ORLB) has now held five days of hearings to consider an application made by two school boards requesting that public elementary teachers' withdrawal from extra-curricular and voluntary activities be declared illegal strike activity. The case, which is directed against the Elementary Teachers' Federation of Ontario and its members, is being heard by Bernard Fishbein, Chair of the OLRB. Fishbein is the same official who ruled the planned one-day protest of teachers and education workers an illegal strike. The hearings began January 25 and resume on Wednesday, February 6.

School Boards' Intervention

The Trillium Lakelands District School Board and Upper Canada District School Board's application to the OLRB requests that the Labour Board declare that "[ETFO] and its officers, officials and agents have authorized, counselled, procured, supported or encouraged an unlawful strike and that its members have engaged in an unlawful strike" and goes on to request "a direction from the Board that ETFO officers, officials, or agents and anyone acting on their behalf cease and desist from calling, authorizing, supporting, encouraging or threatening to call or authorize an unlawful strike and that its members cease and desist from engaging in an unlawful strike."

The two school boards are basing their application on the fact that on January 3 collective non-agreements were imposed by an Order in Council on all ETFO bargaining units, making it illegal for teachers and education workers to engage in strike activity during the life of the non-agreements. They claim that by withdrawing from extra-curricular activities teachers are carrying out a strike.

The definition of "strike" in the Education Act is not the same as in the Ontario Labour Relations Act. Under section 277.2(4) of the Education Act:

(b) "'strike' includes any action or activity by teachers in combination or in concert or in accordance with a common understanding that is designed or may reasonably be expected to have the effect of curtailing, restricting, limiting or interfering with

(i) "the normal activities of a board or its employees,

(ii) "the operation or functioning of one or more of a board's schools or of one or more of the programs in one or more schools of a board, or

(iii) "the performance of the duties of teachers set out in the Act or the regulations under it, "including any withdrawal of services or work to rule by teachers acting in combination or in concert or in accordance with a common understanding."

The school boards claim that ETFO members have engaged in illegal strike activity even though it is understood that the activities withdrawn are voluntary and unpaid.

The boards say they are not asking for voluntary activities to be made mandatory, but maintain that ETFO representatives engaged in illegal activity by directing teachers to refrain from doing anything beyond the 300-minute instructional day, making the bogus claim that by so doing the union is denying teachers the "freedom" to choose what activities to engage in. Of course the reason why teachers and education workers have been withdrawing extra-curricular activities -- in response to a violation of their rights and freedoms by the government through Bill 115 and the imposition of illegitimate collective non-agreements -- is not considered by the boards or government to be a violation of teachers' and education workers' rights and freedoms, and their response a just one. This fraud is put forward in the face of all the actions that show teachers and education workers are fully conscious of what they are doing and of the attempts to criminalize their ongoing legitimate protest actions against the violation of their rights. The lawyer for the school boards even tried to claim that ETFO was leading its members, unbeknownst to them, into illegal activity.

ETFO's Arguments

ETFO began by calling into question the very legitimacy of the imposed non-agreements, arguing that the repeal of Bill 115 invalidated the imposed contracts, and that without collective agreements in place the union was once again in a legal strike position. Hence, any collective action or advice given regarding engaging in such action could not be considered unlawful.

This initial argument brought a swift intervention from the Ministry of Education whose lawyer insisted that the imposed non-agreements were indeed valid in spite of Bill 115's repeal, making any strike activity or counselling of it by a union or its members illegal.

ETFO also argued that since there were no disciplinary consequences attached to bulletins and memos sent to its members, they could not be considered as directives; rather the communications were to assist members to decide what activities are voluntary and were an expression of the teachers' right to not participate in voluntary activities.

ETFO denied the school boards' allegations that teachers' withdrawal from extra-curricular activities would have "profound consequences" for student safety, engagement and achievement.

During the course of the hearings ETFO argued that the Liberal government, in 2009 during Kathleen Wynne's tenure as Minister of Education, removed Mike Harris-era references to extra-curricular or co-curricular activities from the Education Act, preventing them being declared mandatory, thus removing the legal barrier to teachers withholding these activities. ETFO's lawyer is quoted as saying, "Once the government removed 'co-instructional activities' from the Education Act -- and also from the definition of a strike -- there was nothing to prohibit teachers from refusing to participate in these activities."

In terms of claims about individuals' actions, ETFO argued that anything lawful for an individual to do is also lawful for a group of individuals to do. If the state attempts to deny a group of individuals the right to do something a single individual has the right to do, it is a breech of the Charter right of freedom of association. Furthermore, ETFO's lawyer maintained, if Bill 115 prevented anyone from exercising their Charter rights, then the Labour Board must consider this in the hearing as well.

In other news related to the chaos unleashed by the government's use of bullying tactics and dicate to impose austerity on teachers and education workers, on February 5 the OLRB will resume hearing the "failure to represent" complaints of a number of local units and members of the Ontario English Catholic Teachers' Association (OECTA) against the Provincial Executive of their union for ratifying and signing a Memorandum of Agreement (MOU) with the government on July 5, 2012 without consulting or allowing OECTA members to vote on it. The OECTA MOU, which the government falsely tried to claim had been signed by 55,000 teachers, became the template for terms and conditions imposed six months later on teachers and education workers who had not "voluntarily" agreed to them by December 31.

Other items of note:
http://cpcml.ca/OPF2013/OP0221.HTM#1 Huge gallery of images from the historic demonstration of 30,000 in Toronto last month
http://cpcml.ca/OPF2013/OP0222.HTM#2 Wynne's No-Win Scenario

[JoeySteel]

Excerpts from today's issue of Ontario Political Forum http://www.cpcml.ca/OPF2013/OP0223.HTM





Repeal the Austerity Measures in Bill 115!
Oppose Use of Fraudulent Non-Agreements to Criminalize Protest!
Oppose Blackmail Against Teachers and
Education Workers

- Mira Katz -

There is a concerted effort to try and blackmail teachers and education workers into giving up their right to say No! to dictate and the theft of billions from education. This effort by various spokespeople for the Canadian state linked to all parties in the Legislature is part and parcel of the attempt to silence the Workers' Opposition in Ontario using the bogus "reset" of the government.

Currently the blackmail takes the form of trying to get teachers and education workers, via pressure put on their unions, to give up their withdrawal of extra-curricular and other voluntary activities as a form of protest against government dictate and the violation of their rights. The blackmail is directed at the conscience of teachers and education workers who everyone knows are professionals when it comes to performing their duties and helping their students. Just as the Liberals and PCs claimed that Bill 115 which violates the rights of all workers in Ontario was "putting students first," the blackmailers claim that in order to not let students be harmed, teachers and education workers should stop withdrawing from extra-curricular and voluntary activities. Some of them claim the tactic is ineffective while others claim it will turn the public against teachers and education workers if it continues. Still others are creating the added bogeyman of a prospective mass exodus of students from public schools to the Catholic system, warning of job losses and seeking to sow divisions between teachers and education workers in the two systems.

The blackmailers also use the Ontario Labour Relations Board or the prospect of a Hudak majority as a Sword of Damocles over teachers' and education workers' heads to spread fear -- that if they don't give in, the full weight of the Canadian state and its police powers can be used to make any protest illegal and unleash an even worse anti-social offensive against the people à la Mike Harris or the Republican Party in the U.S.


http://www.cpcml.ca/images2013/Provinces/Ontario/Education/130202-Kingston_OSSTFdailypicketvsimposedterms.jpg
Teachers and education workers in Kingston February 6 (above) demonstrate against imposed non-agreements and in defence of their rights.

The common thread running through what the blackmailers have to say is that workers and their opposition to dictate are the problem, while governments should not be held accountable for violating the rights of their citizens and handing over billions in public funds to the rich. They do not demand that governments stop their attacks on rights, but instead demand that teachers and education workers, the victims, give up their resistance.

All this blackmail is bogus, self-serving and anti-social. Teachers and education workers hold a place of honour among the people because, besides other things, they are standing up to a bully and refusing to submit. They have shown governments that they cannot get away with violating people's rights. Far from "turning the public against them," the stand of teachers and education workers not to give in to bullying has brought the violation of rights contained in Bill 115 to the attention of everyone. It is the government that the public has turned against and that is now trying to save itself through a fraudulent "reset."

The problem for the blackmailers is that the teachers and education workers are being joined by broad sections of the working class in saying No! Enough of throwing public funds into the coffers of the banks and monopolies! Enough with bogus demands for austerity and restraint! Enough is Enough! This is happening right as the ruling elite are preparing to introduce their next round of bogus "restraint" measures in order to continue paying the rich.


"Right to Work" Arguments Continue at
Labour Board Hearing
The hearing continues at the Labour Relations Board into the complaint of two Ontario school boards against the Elementary Teachers' Federation of Ontario (ETFO) for allegedly counselling its members to engage in illegal strike activity. The boards are requesting that a "cease and desist" order be issued against the union. The sixth and seventh day of the hearing held on February 6 and 8 brought arguments from lawyers for both sides regarding the definition of "teacher" and of "strike" under the Education Act, and even whether or not teachers' Charter rights should be taken into consideration.

The hearing is taking place right at a time when the government is attempting to use various bogus "olive branches" to get teachers and education workers to give up their opposition to the government's violation of their rights and freedoms. The arguments put forward by the school boards' lawyers present the essence of the "right to work" laws called for by PC leaders and Tim Hudak, which claim that workers have individual rights to say No! to dictate so long as this No! is individual and ineffective. It is another story however if workers on their own or through their union take collective action to defend their rights, whether those actions involve the withdrawal of paid or voluntary labour.

In this case the two school boards are trying to establish a dangerous precedent: that teachers' voluntary activities be made the subject of court orders, which if defied will result in serious penalties, including fines and jail time. It must be opposed.

For your information Ontario Political Forum is providing a summary of the most recent proceedings based on reports provided by a staff member of ETFO sitting in on the hearing.[1]


***

In response to ETFO's argument that removal of the reference to co-instructional activities from the Education Act in 2009 shielded teachers from being charged with engaging in unlawful activity for withdrawing from voluntary activities, the lawyer for the school boards argued that the definition of "strike" in the Education Act includes not only withdrawal of teaching duties, but of other "normal activities," including voluntary activities of various types. He argued that "teaching" cannot be so narrowly defined as to exclude the performance of other activities even if such activities are strictly voluntary. Therefore, according to the boards, counselling or encouraging teachers to withdraw extracurricular activities fits the definition of a strike and warrants the issuing of a "cease and desist" order against ETFO.

While the lawyer for the boards conceded it would not be unlawful for individual teachers to withdraw from extra-curricular and other voluntary activities, he gave the "right to work" argument that teachers acting collectively to withdraw them does constitute an illegal strike under the Education Act.

With respect to ETFO's contention that teachers' Charter rights to freedom of expression and freedom of association must be considered by the Chair in arriving at a decision on the application of the school boards, the lawyer for the boards argued that Charter values must only be considered when the meaning of language in legislation is ambiguous, and that language in the Education Act pertaining to strikes is unambiguous when it includes in the definition of a strike "any action or activity by teachers in combination or in concert or in accordance with a common understanding that is designed or may reasonably be expected to have the effect of curtailing, restricting, limiting or interfering with the normal activities of a board or its employees."[2]

The hearing continued on February 12 with lawyers for the two sides arguing over the meaning of language in the Education Act pertaining to strike activity, and the prospect of teachers' Charter rights trumping the school boards' request that their protest be declared an illegal strike, which the boards' lawyer reportedly said would amount to teachers "getting a free pass" after "walking away from their students." The hearing adjourned with both sides being asked to make written submissions by February 15 for the Chair to consider.
Notes

1. For summaries of previous proceedings, see Ontario Political Forum, February 5, 2013 - No. 22, Ontario Political Forum, January 29, 2013 - No. 21 and Ontario Political Forum, January 15, 2013 - No. 19.
2. See Ontario Political Forum, February 5, 2013 - No. 22.


Catholic Teachers Oppose Non-Agreements

On February 5 the Labour Board continued hearing the complaint of four Ontario Elementary Catholic Teachers' Association (OECTA) local units and a group of concerned OECTA members from another unit against their union's Provincial Executive for allegedly failing to comply with its Duty of Fair Representation. The complaint is being heard by Bernard Fishbein, Chair of the Ontario Labour Relations Board, who has also been hearing the complaint of two public school boards against the Elementary Teachers' Federation of Ontario.

As in November, on the first day of the hearing, arguments centred around whether or not provisions of the Ontario Labour Relations Act (OLRA) applied to the case and whether the Labour Board had jurisdiction to hear it. The complaint of the four OECTA units and the group of Catholic teachers centres around their claim that OECTA's Provincial Executive failed to communicate with, get authorization, consult or allow a vote of its members on the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that it alone ratified in July, and that the Executive allegedly misled members and the union's Council of Presidents in various ways over the MOU and the ratification process.

In November OECTA Provincial's lawyers invoked Bill 115 to argue that the complaint against the Executive should not be heard by the Labour Board. On February 5, the union members once again argued that under the OLRA, members must be given the opportunity to ratify (or reject) any collective agreement negotiated on their behalf by a bargaining agent. In not allowing for this, OECTA Provincial deprived them of their democratic right, they said. Futhermore with Bill 115 now gone, there was nothing preventing the Labour Board from hearing and passing judgment on their complaint, they argued.


http://www.cpcml.ca/images2012/Provinces/Ontario/Education/120828-TorontoEducationRally-16.JPG

This time the Provincial Executive countered with the argument that the process that gave rise to the OECTA MOU was not collective bargaining as contemplated under the OLRA, but rather a political process with the government; and the MOU they ratified and signed was not a collective agreement. Therefore the usual requirements for ratification of collective agreements by members as stipulated in OECTA's bylaws and policies did not have to be followed.

A decision on the complaint has not yet been reported.

(With reports from David Chiarelli -- School Edition!)

Full issue contents:
Attempts to Reset Illegitimate Agenda
• Build the Independent Politics of the Working Class! - Enver Villamizar and Dan Cerri
• Cabinet Named
• Ministers Jump Ship

Repeal the Austerity Measures in Bill 115!
Oppose Use of Fraudulent Non-Agreements to Criminalize Protest!
• Oppose Blackmail Against Teachers and Education Workers - Mira Katz
• "Right to Work" Arguments Continue at Labour Board Hearing
• Catholic Teachers Oppose Non-Agreements

Hold Governments to Account to Defend Workers' Health and Safety
• Open Letter to Premier Kathleen Wynne - Justicia for Migrant Workers

For Your Information
• Wynne's Transition Team