- Target:
- Ontario Ministry of Education, Ontario Teacher Union (EFTO, OSSTF), YRDSB
- Region:
- Canada
- Website:
- www.yrparent.ca
The Ontario Ministry of Education’s Bill 115 “Putting Students First”, which took effect on January 1st 2013, removed the right to strike of public elementary and secondary school teachers in the province and imposed a labour contract on them until fall 2014.
Teacher unions protested that the law is undemocratic and disagreed with the contract provisions. Since the recent Labour Relations Board ruling that workday teacher protest would be illegal, teachers were left with one avenue of protest against the new legislation: boycotting extracurricular activities in elementary and secondary schools. The repeal of Bill 115 on Jan 23, 2013 has further aggravated tensions between teacher unions and the Ontario government. An estimated 20,000 teachers protested during the Ontario Liberal Leader Convention on the January 25th weekend. The teacher unrest shows no sign of ending.
Students and parents are caught in the crossfire between the Ontario Government and the public Elementary and Secondary Teacher Unions. Sacrificed are after-school academics, clubs and sports, report card comments, EQAO preparation and more affecting our students’ current and future education. Frustrated families feel helpless in this situation, many suffering loss of income, worry over children’s academic progress and anxiety over their prospects for college or university.
At a Public Education Town Hall hosted by York Region Parent Association on January 30th at Markham Civic Centre, the theme was "Discussing teacher job action - where do we go from here?” Parents and students there described the impact of the job action on families, the importance of extracurricular activities in their personal and professional lives, and ways to re-instate them in and outside of school. They felt victimized by the current and recurring dysfunction in education labour negotiations and compelled to take action urging all parties to find solutions, both short and long-term.
The following petition is an opportunity for the voices of Ontario families to be heard. We therefore encourage parents and students to sign it, and to send it forward to other families.
The petition will be presented to the Ministry of Education, the Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation and the Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario, with copies sent to Ontario school boards and school trustees.
York Region Parent Association
www.yrparent.ca
email : info@yrparent.ca
The current state of unrest in the Ontario public education system has had an ongoing negative impact on Ontario families.
This situation is unacceptable.
WE DEMAND THAT ALL STAKEHOLDERS in contract negotiations set aside their traditional methods, and work diligently and creatively toward a resolution to the current impasse. We further demand that all parties establish a fair and effective process to avoid future labour conflict in the education sector.
Ontario families deserve better.
You can further help this campaign by sponsoring it
The Stop Ontario Teacher Strike and Teacher "work to rule" petition to Ontario Ministry of Education, Ontario Teacher Union (EFTO, OSSTF), YRDSB was written by alick siu and is in the category Education at GoPetition.