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Elementary Teachers Threatened with Fines While High School Teachers Ramp Up Job Action

Posted By: Michelle Rosa · 12/4/2012 6:19:00 AM

Should those one-day strikes take place in the province's elementary schools, all teachers are expected to take part, or else.

The Elementary Teachers Federation of Ontario outlines that any members who refuse to participate, will face fines of up to $500 per day as well as be "named and shamed." That's reportedly written in the 'provincial takeover bulletin' sent to teachers.

In the Sun, there's an excerpt of the bulletin stating, “Members found to be in violation … shall be subject to a range of sanctions that may include but is not limited to, publication of name in a federation publication, suspension of the right to hold office in the federation and suspension of federation services except those required by law.”

The union has said it would give parents 72-hour notices before teachers walk off the job. Already, teachers are not taking part in parent interviews or extracurricular activities.

Meantime, The union representing public high school teachers in Ontario is ramping up its job action. Instead of simply allowing individual teachers decide if they want to participate in extra-curriculars and whether to help students before and after the school day with their subjects,  the OSSTF says that starting Monday, all extracurriculars will be boycotted, province-wide.

Education Minister Laurel Broten insists she will use the powers under Bill 115 to stop any strike action.

In the coming days, high school teachers will be voting on whether they would support some sort of political protest, but that would happen only in the event that the government blocks any strike action from them. We'll hear the results of that vote during the week of December 17.

(files by M. Rosa and D. Agar)

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  1. Rockford posted on 12/04/2012 06:40 AM
    $500 a day. Is that even legal?
    As for "name and shame", go for it.
    I'd love to see the list of teachers not afraid of being bullied by their own union.
  2. Ryan posted on 12/04/2012 07:17 AM
    This is criminal. Having a gun held to your head by your own union. Bite the hand that feeds you much, guys?
  3. calvinhc posted on 12/04/2012 08:38 AM
    If the teachers' union can call Bill 115 'bullying' by the province, why is this action by them not 'bullying'?!?

    I do hope that some teachers have the cajones to challenge this, in court if necessary. It just might pave the way for "right to work" legislation in this province.
  4. Harmony posted on 12/04/2012 09:05 AM
    Teachers care about their students. They care and want to help them succeed so much that they will sacrifice their own interests in order to help their students.
    If teachers continue to provide the days of extra-curricular support and the hours of after-school extra help and everything else that they do FOR FREE already, they will be giving up the last tiny bargaining chip they have left to them since this un-democratic bill was set against them.

    These fines and reprimands are not bullying. It is the push some teachers need to recognize that they are only hurting themselves (their fellow teachers and their students in the log run) if they sacrifice their union rights.
    1. jamie posted on 12/04/2012 09:12 AM
      @Harmony Please, you don't think anyone is buying that shit anymore do you? That ship sailed a long time ago.
    2. etcbcj posted on 12/04/2012 10:02 AM
      @Harmony REALLY?? It is a push?? hahahahahahaha! That's rich. You don;t even know bullting when you see it! How about the "democratic right" for teachers to NOT be in the union?? You don't even have a choice when you are a teacher. Where is the democracy in that??
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  5. Paul posted on 12/04/2012 05:13 PM
    It is time to crush the teacher unions once and for all. They should all be fired if they strike or refuse to work. There are thousands waiting for the opportunity to teach.
  6. concerned posted on 12/04/2012 05:23 PM
    I am listening to all of the back an forth going on on this topic as well as many other issues (typically government, all levels) and it seems that we are at a point where we can't get away from the politics.
    Every union has the right to strike.
    Do we, or should we have unions associated with any govenment job? I tend to think not. We elect a govenment and if we trust them with our security, money, etc. we should also see them as fair employers. So i would say no Police union, Teachers union and so on.
    I agree with others when they say we should have one education system, no seperate school board. the message here is to treat everyone the same.
    Also i agree that govenment jobs and teachers alike should not be able to bank sick time. Sick time should never be a negotiating item in the employee agreement or should not be considered a employement benefit. By being able to accumulate it and bank it, sick time can be interpreted as a benefit rather than a "human right".
    If teachers care about the students there would be more common sense coming to the barganing table and we wouldn't be talking about any strikes.
  7. Ken posted on 12/04/2012 10:46 PM
    anyone working for the government and ultimately paid by the taxpayer should not be able to hold the taxpayer ransom via strike action. It's not like they can take their business elsewhere. Mediation to Arbitration would be a better solution.

    The teachers enjoy a lifestyle anyone working the private sector can only dream of, wages, benefits, vacation all relatively over the top. More frustrating still for the taxpayer is he gets to pay for it. The teachers won't find a lot of sympathy.
    1. Danielle posted on 12/04/2012 11:20 PM
      @Ken So true. I don't know when they will finally get it, but the Unions need to bck off, because, frankly this time I don't think they are going to win. It's been said over and over that they are thugs and really, that is a perfect description. As for the teachers, they need to get some backbone, tll the unions to stop the damage that they are doing with the public/ taxpayers and start appreciating all they have. They have a long journey ahead of them to get the public respect back. Enough is enough, the piggy bank is empty and the taxpayers who pay their salaries and pay for their perks are at the end of their patience.
  8. WDR posted on 12/05/2012 09:50 AM
    Fine, take away our right to strike, and our sick days,

    But now you need to give me the 5% vacation pay everyone else gets. Those of you that complain, also do not understand the realities of the job. The sick days and retirement payout were in lieu of vacation pay that the private sector gets.
    1. sara posted on 12/05/2012 10:02 AM
      @WDR You've got to be kidding! You work less than any other workforce, you get paid handsomely for it, you get unbelievable perks, benefits, pension. No one is saying to take away your sick days, we're just saying have an allotted number over the school and either use them or not, but banking the? Why do you really think this is fair or reasonable. Oh I know, because your a teacher and you have a thuggish union behind you and you deserve so much more than the rest of us because you do everything you do for the love of children. You guys are pathetic and trust me your greedy demands are numbered. Taxpayers and the public in general have had it!
    2. proton posted on 12/07/2012 10:42 AM
      @WDR WHAT ARE YOU SMOKING? When all the benefits are calculated your remuneration works out to over $ 100,000/year (survey published in Financial Post), more than civil engineers make and a host of other professionals.

      The "extra-curricular" work that you do has always been a part of your day and should be included in contracts as part of work, not extra.

      It appears you're dissatisfied hence you should quit your job as a teacher and go find a job in the private sector (the REAL world)
  9. concerned posted on 12/05/2012 10:46 AM
    At one point in time North America and Europe private business were abusing employees,and Unions came to the rescue with human rights solutions and negotiated on behalf of the abused. I don't feel that we have that situation here in Canada as we mat have long ago. Especially with government jobs, so why unions? What Unions stand for now is not the same as before. When we are talking about balancing budgets we have to measure the best Return On Investment (ROI). In the case of teachers, what we have is the overhead to employe a teacher and the cost of keeping a Union. I know the teachers pay the union dues but in turn those dues come from the same budgets that our taxes ccontribute to. If we didn't have that Union maybe we wouldn't have to be hard on the teachers and the teachers could put more money in their pockets.

    Anyway, back to benefits and banking sick time. Can anyone plan their sickness? Do teachers qualify for short term disability and long term disability, the answer is yes. Is in fair to bank sick time..... NO! The reason why private business doesn't allow banking of sick time is because it is not good business sense and the ROI isn't there. Is is ethical to bank sick time.... NO! If you bank it, it is treated as vacation time. Should the teachers get 4% vacation time payout for unused vaation when they leave their jobs.. YES! This is legislated and is enforced the private sector is responsible to do the same.

    Teachers, you have a FALSE sense of entitlement that needs to be corrected. It is now time for you al to grow up and be responsible.
  10. proton posted on 12/07/2012 07:33 AM
    if the union fines the teachers that defy their protest and have their names publicized i hope those teachers take the union to court, all the way to the supreme court if necessary. this would be a perfect opportunity to challenge the rules forcing employees to join a union. The teachers whose names are publicized should be the first to be hired by school boards. Those are the teachers I'd want to teach my kids. Those are the teachers that should be well paid and respected
    1. leslie posted on 12/07/2012 09:01 AM
      @proton Proton, you have been a busy boy this morning! You are so succinct in everything you write, please keep it coming.
    show more replies
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