CUPE reaches deal with province

By Angelica Ingram

Education workers represented by CUPE have reached a tentative deal with the province announced

on Monday Nov. 2.

The union which represents 55000 employees issued a media release stating they had reached a

tentative deal with the Crown and the Council of Trustee Associations in central talks.

“The union is calling an end to its province-wide work-to-rule job action” said the release.

Work-to-rule had included caretakers not cleaning school hallways among other things.

CUPE workers have been without a contract since Aug. 31 2014 according to the union. While details

of the deal have not yet been released the tentative agreement covers all four school board systems.

CUPE represents custodians office administrators early childhood educators and more. Members will

review the deal before voting on it.

As the Nov. 1 deadline imposed by the provincial government passed negotiations between the

Elementary Teachers Federation of Ontario and the province continued as of press time on Monday

Nov. 2.

Bargaining took place all weekend long with little to no information coming from either side.

Representatives from ETFO could not discuss negotiations due to a media black out a representative

told the Echo.

On Oct. 28 elementary teachers entered into phase 3 of its work-to-rule action which saw them

withdraw from all voluntary extra-curricular activities.

Various media outlets were reporting that fall progress reports would not be issued.

Premier Kathleen Wynne had given ETFO until Nov. 1 to reach an agreement or else teachers’ salaries

would be docked.

If an agreement is not reached teachers who are not doing full-duty could have their pay docked as

early as this week with the union getting five days’ notice according to media reports.

ETFO represents 78000 elementary education workers who have also been without a contract since

August 2014.