Elementary school teachers and their union are not prepared to reinstate extracurricular activities at schools within the Upper Grand District School Board and across the province.
Doug Cook, president of the Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario (ETFO) District 18 and a member of the provincial executive, said the 1,150 elementary teachers with the Upper Grand will not reinstate extracurricular activities.
The ETFO ruled it will not follow suit with its secondary school teacher counterparts, whose union – the Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation (OSSTF) – decided recently to ask its members to reinstate extra curricular activities.
Teachers withdrew extracurricular activities late last year in protest of the government’s Bill 115, which eventually led to forced contracts on teachers. Cook characterized the withdrawal of extracurricular activities at UGDSB schools as “large.”
“There are teachers who indicated maybe it’s time to show goodwill,” Cook said of provincial talks with the union and an indication he has received from his membership.
However, the union official is concerned reinstating extracurricular activities would rob them of an important bargaining chip as talks continue between the ETFO and the Liberal government.
“To go forth on good faith alone is not enough,” Cook added. “If we we’re to include extracurriculars … the government’s incentive to continue talks would erode. It’s all we’ve got to work with unfortunately.”
Despite the stalemate, Cook is confident talks are moving ahead to resolve issues between the two. He declined comment on any specific aspects of the talks.
The decision by the ETFO not to reinstate extra curricular activities was met with dismay by premier Kathleen Wynne and education minister and Guelph MPP Liz Sandals.
“ETFO is going to have to define what it is they really think they want because we have been perfectly clear that we are not ripping up the collective agreement, there is no more money,” Sandals said in a media release.
Cook said teachers are hopeful the sides can reach an agreement.
“Everyone is hopeful it’s sooner than later.”
But no new meetings between the union and the provincial government are scheduled, Cook added.
