Elementary school students looking forward to a class trip next year may be out of luck.
The union representing 76,000 elementary teachers in the province has announced teachers will not book field trips for the 2015-16 school year as part of expanded work-to-rule strike action beginning on June 1.
Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario (ETFO) president Sam Hammond announced the increased “phase 1 strike action” on May 29.
“We are increasing this strike action because of the obstinacy of the government and OPSBA (Ontario Public School Boards’ Association)in addressing real issues that affect teachers and the learning conditions in our schools,” said Hammond.
He stressed all students will still “receive the high quality instruction that our teachers provide.”
The June 1 actions, which the ETFO has described as “administrative in nature” and “designed to have minimal impact on students,” include:
– a continuation of the action announced on May 11;
– refusing to complete any paperwork to the ministry for special grants or funding (excluding those for special needs students);
– not preparing Grade 8 to 9 transition reports and not participating in any grade-to-grade transition meetings;
– not participating in any in-school meetings or professional learning activities during start- and end-of-the-year professional activity (PA) days;
– refusing to complete year-end Ontario Student Record (OSR) activities, including filing, sorting and completion of French cards; and
– refusing to book any field trips for the 2015-16 school year.
The teachers’ current contract expired in August and after eight months of failed negotiations, the ETFO began administrative work-to-rule job action on May 11, including the refusal to complete standardized tests, attend professional development sessions and provide comments on report cards.
ETFO officials say they are taking strike action due to demands from the government that would “compromise students’ learning conditions” by giving school boards latitude to increase class sizes, dictating how teachers spend preparation time and curtailing teachers’ ability to determine “how to support student learning.”
In his May 29 statement, Hammond threatened further job action if the government does not alter its approach.
“While the government and OPSBA think they can stonewall on these issues until they go away, I can tell you that ETFO will continue to pursue and escalate strike actions into the coming school year as necessary,” said Hammond.
“The Education Minister has made matters worse with her disingenuous comments. This strike action is about teachers’ working conditions and students’ learning conditions, not money.
“We are ready to return to the table the moment that the government and OPSBA remove the offensive strips they have put forward that will have a negative impact on teacher working conditions and student learning conditions.”
Minister Liz Sandals has countered in the past that the job action is more the result of the union’s “general desire to have a strike.”
She has stated conditions set by the ETFO to avoid a strike were “pretty unrealistic.”
