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Liberals Recalling Legislature to Introduce Bill to Impose Contract on Teachers

Posted By: Newstalk 1010 · 8/20/2012 11:51:00 AM

The governing Liberals say they're recalling the legislature to introduce a bill that would impose a two-year contract on Ontario's teachers.
    
Government house leader John Milloy says the house will resume the session on Aug. 27.
    
The Liberals had threatened to bring in the bill if teachers didn't sign new contracts with school boards by the end of the month.
    
They say they can't allow the old contracts to roll over because the province simply can't afford it when it's facing a $15-billion deficit.
    
But they need the support of at least one opposition party to pass the bill.
    
Two big unions representing teachers say their members always intended to return to the classroom in the fall and the government is creating a crisis where none exists.

(The Canadian Press)

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  1. EduB posted on 08/20/2012 12:05 PM
    Its about time the Ontario teacher unions were given a dose of economic reality. Ontario's parents/taxpayers have put up with their shenanigans long enough.Kids should not be allowed to used as hostages by people who's only interest is to make more money for themselves..
  2. Richard Collins posted on 08/20/2012 01:31 PM
    The contract needs to end when the school year does, to prevent the unions from staging another strike scare at the height of back-to-school stress for parents.
  3. proton posted on 08/20/2012 02:16 PM
    can't really blame the unions; it's their job to push for higher wayges otherwise they're no longer in business. A union is a business like any other. This time however they're playing a game of chicken and province will win so it'd be smarter to settle

    The REAL problem is our idiot premier. After years and years of overfeeding the teachers he suddenly pulls the plug. It's like feeding a drug addict then suddenly stopping. He is largely to blame for this by trying to suck and blow at the same time.

    Biggest concern is 2 year wage freeze. Typically the union comes back for a catch-up wage increase to compensate for the freeze, so we're back to the same problem again in 2 years. Need a more permanent solution
  4. KarenW_5 posted on 08/20/2012 03:38 PM
    Liberals have fed the Teacher's Union raises, security, JK, you name it for their support during elections. Sick-leave roll-overs - cancel - if you don't need the sick time in the year (20 days is huge, 10% of their teaching days per year) you don't get it. Raises, maybe by COLA only. Get rid of double dipping - when you retire, you retire. Change the end date of the contract to June 30. Enrollment is down, costs are up - the government reduced class sizes in order to spread out the teaching forces when the enrollment went down. JK - we do not need 60,000 + salaried teachers to babysit, plus all the construction to build the classrooms - why do they need more classrooms - again, spreading out the kids because the teachers can't teach more than 20 students - hog wash! Stream the classes again, smart kids with smart kids, not so smart with not so smart - too many changes that ruined schools, teachers, students. I could go on and on. Gotta get back to work (my work day runs from 8:30am until about 8:30 at night - 50 weeks per year).
    1. Val_3205 posted on 08/20/2012 05:39 PM
      @KarenW_5 The government reduced class sizes because experts produced reports that showed students would be more successful learners in smaller classes. You should go spend some quality time in a Kindergarten classroom. It is not babysitting. The kids are learning amazing amounts and, again, the experts in education have proven that kids should be given equal access to quality, early learning. This would be especially true for children of parents who work from 8:30 in the morning to 8:30 at night.
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  5. Val_3205 posted on 08/20/2012 05:33 PM
    Teachers haven't said no to a wage freeze and there has been no talk of a strike. There just haven't been any normal negotiations yet. You know teachers are not the only workers who work under a contract and expect their employer to uphold the terms of the contract until a new one is negotiated. There are 12,250 collective agreements in Ontario. That is why we have a MInistry of Labour and a process, created by the government, for collective bargaining. They broke all the rules and didn't even give the teachers a chance to negotiate something reasonable. Be fair and look at both sides for a change.
    1. ArtC posted on 08/20/2012 08:46 PM
      @Val_3205 Fair? look at both sides? Good luck with that! with a pro dominant right wing media spinning it like every one who has a public sector job is a overpaid lazy slime ball you're not going to get a fair assessment. If the media went after all levels of government politicians and their sweetheart pensions and such you might get a more fair picture. Ever notice it's always someone else who makes too much money or has sweet perks it's never themselves. I'd be safe to bet no one complains when they have a wife/husband/daughter/son who has a public sector job and cutbacks would effect their household. I've been union, been management, been a contact employee so i like to put myself in each situation before i say anything negative about what someone has, how much they make so on...I'm non union i work for a private corp i haven't received an increase in 3 years. i get 2 sick days a year. I'll repeat that 2 sick days a year. I don't belittle others who have more union or non union. It is what it is. Good for them if they have more or make more
      Having said that I'm all for being responsible with taxpayers money just as long as politicians of all stripes start with themselves.
      I think the right wing media and their followers are more jealous than anything. If i can't have it why should you mentality. As if we cut what public sector people make somehow their taxes will go down. Good luck with that!
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