Switch of PA days could violate teacher contracts
Province’s move to add instruction days amid pandemic could violate collective agreements
The Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board says it’s waiting for more direction from the province as the move to replace Professional Activity (PA) days with instructional time would violate its elementary school teacher’s collective agreement.
Ontario Education Minister Stephen Lecce announced Sunday that schools across the province would remain shuttered until at least May 31 due to the pandemic. Schools have been closed since the last day before the March break on March 13.
In addition to the extension, the Ministry of Education also announced that it would be replacing the remaining Professional Activity (PA) days and examination days with instructional time, according to a release.
The province has instructed school boards “to find solutions at the local level in keeping with this direction while upholding collective agreement obligations.”
Jeff Sorenson, president of the public board’s elementary teachers’ union, said if the province were to go ahead with the change, it would eliminate their final PA day dedicated to completing report cards.
“If they take them away, it’s a violation, so I don’t know what that (solution) would look like,” said Sorensen.
The last day is June 5, said HWDSB director of education Manny Figueiredo.
As of Monday, Figueiredo said the board intends to honour the collective agreement until they receive “further written direction” from the province.
Figueiredo said that instruction would include how the agreements could be honoured or if the province had made revisions to the regulation that details guidelines for the school year calendar.
“Right now, our intent is to honour that (collective agreement) until I receive further clarification,” said Figueiredo. “Nothing has come in writing as of (Monday).”
Sorenson said Hamilton’s public elementary teachers’ union likely isn’t alone in the situation, as each collective agreement has “different” language regarding PA days. Figueiredo said the board was told that the ministry has been in discussion with provincial union leaders regarding who may be impacted by the move.
“We have signalled to the ministry that we are one of the boards that has that and are wondering how we will be impacted,” said Figueiredo.
For the Hamilton-Wentworth Catholic District School Board, board chair Pat Daly said they would be checking to see if either of their unions could fall into that category.
“We are going to confirm that,” said Daly. “Clearly, we would not contravene the collective agreement.”