Teacher contract OK’d
Niagara Catholic District School Board and its elementary teachers — who voted 99.2 per cent in favour — ratified a new collective agreement Tuesday night.
Niagara Catholic District School Board and its elementary teachers ratified a new collective agreement Tuesday.
Board chair Rev. Paul MacNeil announced the deal by phone from the board table at about 9 p.m.
Trustees had earlier cut the public session of their regular meeting to a half-hour.
They moved in-camera to discuss the tentative agreement that had been reached with the elementary teachers union at 3 a.m. Sunday — a deal that led to students returning to classrooms Monday after a week’s absence (two if including the March break).
Members of the Ontario English Catholic Teachers Association, Niagara elementary unit voted to ratify the tentative deal earlier Tuesday.
“Today, OECTA Niagara Elementary teachers voted 99.2 per cent in favour of the tentative agreement,” said president Marie Balanowski in an email late Tuesday night. “We are pleased to have reached a fair settlement for our teachers.”
She said the agreement dates Sept. 1, 2014 to Aug. 31, 2017.
“However,” she added “the provincial extension agreement extends this collective agreement until Aug. 31, 2019.”
Sunday’s tentative agreement ended a weeklong lockout of teachers by the board and a work-to-rule campaign by members of OECTA Niagara elementary unit that began in September.
OECTA has not had a contract since 2014 when the last collective agreement ended.
“We appreciate all of the support we received from parents and the community during the lockout,” said Balanowski.
Last week community groups picketed Niagara Catholic high schools and the board’s education centre headquarters in Welland.
MacNeil, in an interview before Tuesday night’s board meeting, said he was happy to see the dispute end.
Now trustees, administrators and teachers “can get back to the kids.”
He said he looks at it in a positive way “we have really great teachers working in a good school system.”
The board chair said he sees work ahead on regrouping, refocusing and reconciling to overcome some strains on teachers, staff, students and parents.
He does not, however, see the work-to-rule and lockout damaging the school system.
“I am always optimistic,” he said about the strength of Niagara Catholic.
MacNeil said the deal was reached on the local level with the two sides talking it through without involving the province. The final issue involved grievance procedures.
“We did not have to go to arbitration and wait weeks for an arbitrator’s decision.”
No other details of the contract were conveyed Tuesday night.