Locked Out

Elementary Classes in the Near North District School Board will be empty once again Thursday and Friday, as talks between ETFO Near North Occasional Teachers’ Bargaining Unit and the Near North District School Board have reached a stalemate.

The Near North School Board said in a media release late this afternoon that the board had made a considerable offer, and failure to reach an agreement has forced the board to close the elementary schools Thursday and Friday. As well the Board was Locking Out the Near North Occasional Teachers.

The news was not received well as thousands of parents were handed notes by their children informing them of the circumstances. Concerned parent, Jan Richardson, contacted BayToday saying she is troubled with the fact EFTO spokespeople reacting to the breakdown in talks didn't once mention the students.

“They don't care a bit about the extreme hardship they are putting many families through either.”

“Why can't the parents step in and volunteer to ensure the safety of the students? That isn't going to help the ones who have LTO's as teachers however,” states Richardson.

“How many low-income parents are going to lose their jobs because they can't go to work?”

Avid BayToday reader Denis Lamarche also voiced concerns with the current labour dispute.

“I am an avid Baytoday.ca reader and I would like to voice my disgust with the occasional teachers. Not once in the press release do they mention the safety and well being of our children.”

“OUR CHILDREN ARE OUR PRIDE AND JOY AND THEY ARE OUR FUTURE. So, Get back to work and educate them! The Children Should Be Coming First,” states Lamarche.

The Near North District School Board is the only board and union in Ontario not to have reached an agreement.

The Near North District School Board release is below.

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Two days of talks in Toronto with the ETFO Near North Occasional Teachers’ Bargaining Unit have not achieved an agreement. As a result, Near North District School Board elementary schools will be closed Thursday and Friday. Unfortunately the Board must take the additional step of “locking out” its occasional teachers. The Board will work diligently with administration to find ways to re-open schools.

The Board has made a substantial offer to the occasional teachers. For example, the last offer would have placed our short-term occasional teachers as the second best paid teachers among public elementary school districts in Ontario at the end of the contract.

The Board regrets the inconvenience to students and parents. Most important the Board understands the impact that the strike has on student success.

The Board will continue to provide information with respect to its position and its efforts to re-open schools.

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