Toronto Catholic elementary teachers plan work-to-rule

Action to affect 60,000 children and will probably lead to boycott of provincial tests, but activities already planned for this year are safe

Toronto’s 60,000 Catholic elementary students likely will not get teacher comments on their June report cards, and those in Grades 3 and 6 probably will get out of writing the annual provincial tests in the 3 Rs, as their teachers plan to launch a work-to-rule Tuesday.

In its first job action in 15 years, the Toronto Elementary Catholic Teachers (TECT) also will not plan field trips for next year or attend after-school meetings or workshops until the local union reaches a deal with the Toronto Catholic Dis- trict School Board, said union president Patricia Minnan-Wong.

But she noted year-end field trips, sports events and graduation ceremonies will continue for the rest of the current school year.

“We don’t go into this lightly — the last time we took part in a work-to-rule was in 2001, because it affects our 4,000 members and their families,” said Minnan-Wong, adding that members “deserve no less than a fair and just collective agreement.”

“The last time we took part in a work-to-rule was in 2001.” PATRICIA MINNAN-WONG TECT UNION PRESIDENT

Because negotiations with the school board have stalled but not broken off, Minnan-Wong would not specify which issues remain a stumbling block, but noted they do not relate to salary or benefits, which have been agreed upon provincially. However, Minnan-Wong had said previously the school board wants to introduce an “attendance management policy” to which the union objects.

According to a recent memo sent out by TECT and obtained by the Star, in local negotiations the Catholic board is “proposing significant strips to your current collective agreement, including . . . im- plementing attendance management — a regressive, demoralizing and ineffective costly program that monitors teacher absences for the ultimate purpose of cutting salary and benefits.”

The union also said the board is trying to claim 20 minutes of teachers’ 60-minute lunch, and “not responding to the legitimate concerns of teachers such as taking appropriate steps to protect members from harassment/reprisal, ensuring that members do not work an extended day.” There is no date set for talks to resume. Education Quality and Accountability Office tests this year are to be held May 25 to June 8, likely leaving a gap in literacy and numeracy data for children in Catholic schools.

Toronto’s Catholic teachers will also refuse to fill out report cards, but will submit class lists with student marks for office staff to input onto report cards. With files from Kristin Rushowy