We Stand On the Shoulders of Those Who Have Gone Before Us (Collective Bargaining)

Imagine having over five  hours of  assigned supervision a  week, in  addition to  a  full teaching load.  Not so long ago, there were some ETFO members  in  Ontario who did.  If  you’re a woman, imagine having to resign from your job if you married  or became  pregnant. Imagine negotiating your own contract with your school board. These things are hard to imagine now, but are all a very real part of our history.

We stand on the shoulders  of those who have gone before us –  a phrase often used by those who are contemplating  their place  in a continuum of effort and achievement.  It is  particularly relevant in collective bargaining, as major gains may take years  to  attain, and gains made in any round of  negotiations will  rely  upon what has happened in prior rounds.

In  this, the final year of our current four-year collective agreements, it is natural to reflect upon our successes, as well as  on  the challenges that remain unresolved,  and to consider what we  wish to accomplish.  While some accomplishments  are celebrated  as milestones, others may be of local significance or be more  subtle. It’s  important to remember that subtle gains can be of great importance in achieving those much-desired milestones.

Across the  province,  local  bargaining  committees will  consider local and provincial goals, reflect  upon experiences  with  the  current language of their agreements,  and seek input  from their  membership.  In  consultation with  provincial CB  staff, they will use that research to craft preliminary submissions  in  preparation for  the next round of bargaining.

We stand on the shoulders  of those who have gone before us.  Their efforts and their successes formthe foundation upon which we build.

So, upon whose shoulders do we stand? Working in public education, we stand on the shoulders of those who founded and built our public school system to provide education  for all. Members of ETFO benefit from the contributions  of our predecessor organizations, FWTAO (the  Federation of  Women Teachers’  Associations of Ontario) and OPSTF  (the Ontario Public School Teachers’ Federation),  as well as contributions by fellow educator organizations.

The work of  other unions and institutions in the  broader public  sector  has  also  challenged the  status quo and made gains  upon which we have continued to  build.  ETFO locals piggyback on  groundbreaking  language successfully negotiated by other locals to improve our agreements in subsequent  rounds of bargaining. Grievances  and arbitrations  by ETFO and other unions provide case law that  guides the interpretation of  the  rights and responsibilities of collective agreements  and legislation, aiding us as we  plan for our future.

Class size, preparation  time, supervision caps, length of the school day, limitations on workload, the breadth of a just cause provision, timelines for grievance procedures,  maternity and parental benefits, family care and other leaves, health benefits, credit for  service, pay equity, call-out procedures, paid PD –  the list  of  items negotiated within a collective agreement is long.

With  appreciation and  respect for  the  hard-fought gains they  have made, we stand on  the shoulders of those who went before us.

The birth of teacher federations
Women  were not yet persons under the law (that  would not happen until 1929)   when  they  established the  organizations that  would eventually become  ETFO. The Federation of  Women Teachers’  Associations of  Ontario (FWTAO) was formed in  1918.  The  Ontario Public School Men  Teachers’ Federation (OPSMTF,  later to become OPSTF), was  created in 1920.
That same year the Canadian Teachers’ Federation  held its first meeting.

Working for public education
Throughout their  history teacher federations worked to  enhance teacher professionalism, equal pay for women, and equal learning opportunities for diverse students.

Teacher pensions
Ontario passed the Teachers’ Superannuation  Act in 1917. It took 40 years of service to earn an unreduced pension. The maximum pension  was $1,000; the average pension  paid was about $250.

Teacher activism
In  the 1970s,  teachers demanded  better pay and more control over their working conditions. They wanted smaller  classes, less paperwork and supervision, and a say in curriculum.
In  December 1973, the government  moved to restrict any job action by teachers. On December  18,  80,000  teachers left  their  classrooms  in  protest; 30,000 teachers rallied at Maple Leaf Gardens  and then converged on Queen’s  Park to demand  free collective bargaining and retain the right to strike. The government  withdrew the bills.

Striking for preparation time
In  1987,  elementary  teachers across Metropolitan Toronto went on strike and achieved 125 minutes of prep time per cycle, a milestone achievement. In September 2012, teachers will receive 240 minutes of prep time.

Protesting government cutbacks
In  the fall of 1997,  the Ontario Teachers’ Federation  organized a political protest which shut down Ontario schools. For two weeks 150,000  union members,  community activists, and parents fought Bill 160, the Harris government’s devastating  attack on public education.

Fighting for teacher professionalism
In 2002, members of all Ontario teacher federations gathered in front of the College of Teachers office to protest the mandatory recertification  program.