TORONTO, Ont. – The union representing Ontario public high school teachers says the new attitude of the Kathleen Wynne government prompted its call to resume extracurricular activities but says not all teachers will do so.
Ken Coran, president of the Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation, said Monday that the union recommended teachers resume extracurricular activities after Wynne signalled a willingness to alter the bargaining process.
However, many teachers are still angry about having contracts imposed on them in January and some may never resume after-school activities, Coran said.
“Not all of our members — based on where we are right now today — are going to return to extracurriculars,” he said.
“That’s an individual decision and we respect our individual members’ decisions and will protect them on a go-forward basis.”
Coran said a “significant portion of our membership is very upset right now, even with this change in direction.”
He said about 60 per cent of members are waiting for concrete actions from the province. His hope is that contract talks with government officials this week will convince teachers that progress is being made. Coran will be requested a media blackout regarding the talks.
Coran said in the late ’90s and early ’00s, roughly 20 per cent of teachers who used to volunteer never returned to extracurriculars.
The union agreed on Friday to “suspend political action” but did not guarantee that everything would return to normal in Ontario high schools.
Wynne predicted on Friday that most teachers would return to the sports and clubs they ran voluntarily for years.
She also insisted the government did not make any concessions to convince the union to end its protest.
She did, however, agree to work with teachers and school boards on a new collective bargaining process for the next time to help fix a “fractured” relationship.
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The teachers and their unions should stop holding the public hostage and clarify if extra-curricular is part of the job or not. If extra-curricular is part of the job description and compensation, then they should get back at it as long as they are willing to accept a pay cheque. If it isn’t say so and stop. Parents and students will at least know what the expectations should be and can deal with it.
Patty extra-curricular is not part of Ontario teachers contract and as far as the TDSB goes it has not been for at least the last 45 years. The teachers who provide it are strictly volunteering their time. Some teachers only do it for special events while others run the sports teams, clubs, choirs, tutoring sessions, etc. Apparently it is the lack of the student parties, sports teams, clubs, etc. that is bothering everyone. You know there is no restriction on non-teachers volunteering for this. Mayor Rob Ford does. All you need is to pay for a police check about yourself and negotiate with the school you want to volunteer at to arrange for you to do something extra-curricular at a set time. Good luck with your volunteering.
Hey, I am not a teacher. My wife is and I wish she worked only 12 hours a day. Yes some do work only a couple of hours a week extra but I bet there are people where you work or get there at the last minute and leave right on time and probably seem to have chat time available during the day too. I know most teachers want to teach and do teach but apparently you feel that they still need to put in more UNPAID hours. You sound like the parent who berated my father for cancelling a meeting when he was a scoutmaster (a voluntary position in all troops I know of). Th parent felt that the 10 cents a week dues their son brought to scouts entitled this parent to get a few hours of “babysitting” per week. Also most people who have the amount of post secondary education a teacher is required to have make significantly more money. If you have that much post secondary education and are still not getting much pay, not getting any sick days and getting only 2 week of vacation after 7 years at work maybe your companies employees need a union. If you then think that private school is for your kids please note that many “teachers” at private schools do not have a teaching certificate, do not come under the control of the government established College of Teachers (which teachers were forced to pay dues to) and often have no teacher training.
My Mother-In-Law is a teacher and let me tell you, a lot of you really have delusion views on what many teachers deal with. Just because he car is not in the parking lot at 4 PM does not mean she is not taking work home with her. There are many nights that she is home grading papers, making teaching plans, preparing for the next day at work. There are many times on the weekends that she is buying supplies for her class, that are supplied by the school board, out of her own pocket. I have yet to see her get 3 months of paid vacation time. Those Christmas, Spring, Summer breaks are filled with work. Kids get out of school the end of June yet I know she works into July finishing up her school year. I know she gets her required teaching materials in August and has to start planning her course. I know she has to get re-certified, take courses, learn curriculum, that will be taught, all on her “paid 3 month vacations”. I don’t see anyone else working anywhere taking their job home. Most people work their required hours and go home, and not have to worry about work again until they arrive at their work the next day. Teachers do not get the respect they deserve at all.
Cynthia, you are such a good daughter in law. Do you find time to go do chores for your hard working mother in law? As what you are talking about resonates very much with me. I’d like to share a thought. If your mother in law is so consumed with her take home work. I’d like to offer her some advice. Take a time management course because most of us know much different.
To “Outside of the Box”. What are you kidding me? When you’re sick, you take the day off!. They are so many good and respectable teachers available willing to take your position while you are sick. How dare you come to school all sick and make the rest of the children sick. You and your Union attitude is why you do not have the support of most parents!. Do you work from 7 am to 7 pm?. I doubt it, seeing that all school parking lots are vacant after 4 pm. Only the admin staff and maintenance staff are left working at that time!. Just do your job and quit complaining!. Your job is to teach our children, period!! I’m quite sure you shared my sentiments when you were in Teachers College. It’s your Union that has changed your thinking. And now our children suffer because of it. I hope you sleep well at night knowing this…..
Why we don’t put in the legislation of the “right to work” and give everyone a chance to work not only the friends of unions. In this case we can replace 50% of teachers with others that can do way better job with less money from taxpayers’ pocket. In a Province where cab drivers have a Master or a PHD (talk to them) being a high school teacher and making way over the average is a privilege that others dream about. To teachers and their unions I will say you are way over priced. Price yourself properly otherwise the smart people will invent technology that will leave you without a job. Online stuyding with interaction will get rid of teacher’s unions. Wait for 10 more years to see how this will go.
Come on get a grip you two – your argument is boringl you knew what the expectations were before you got into the profession and now, all of a sudden, it’s an issue? you guys play the sick card more than anyone else, you know it, if you don’t want to take part in after school sport. say it up front and let parents take over.
I think it’s time the teachers re-think their position. Who pays your salary and in if you are not willing to go the distance maybe it’s time to scale your salary back to reflect what you actually do. Better still lets have the kids tested by an outside body and based on their performance the teachers would be graded and then determined what their salary should be.
If that is not good enough then how about we take a chapter out of history and like Margaret Thatcher and President Reagan and just disolve the union altogether. Since they do not want to work then they can sit at home a collect a monthly check and let the ones who want to work take their jobs. These high and mighty unions are killing our country to the point we will end up as a third-world country before long. What have they future generations got to look forward to when we have so called intellectuals acting more like morons.
Keep politics out of the classroom. It should be against the law for a teacher to discuss their politics in the classroom. Teachers are political playthings used by political parties as pawns for marketing purposes. Children should be saved from the filth, and grit, and factory like, political atmosphere.
I have been working for the same company for over 10 years and I am entitled to 3 sick days a year. Legally, the company doesn’t have to give me any, but they have chosen to give me three sick days. Compare that to teachers… 20 sick days that are accumulative?. Not in the real world. 3 months paid vacation..Not in the real world. How do these perks prepare our kids for the real world. I say put portable air conditioners in each class room and keep the schools open all year. But first … remove the unions.
Interesting for irony.
Union guy says: “That’s an individual decision and we respect our individual members’ decisions and will protect them on a go-forward basis.”
So…. now the union thinks teachers get to make ‘individual decisions’ — except before, the union mandated that the teachers all get into line or suffer the consequences.
Teachers: get rid of the union and pocket the ‘dues’ as savings.
Hey Stephen,
Ever been a teacher? Didn’t think so. Before you make sweeping generalizations about a group of workers who happen to provide you an essentially free service for your four kids, perhaps you should make an attempt to understand the job…. or just continue to make inaccurate statements based on opinion as opposed to factual information. Better yet, why don’t you spring for private school for your kids? Let me guess, can’t afford it, right? I guess you are stuck with the same public system that is supposed to serve all of us, so adult up and accept it, Stephen!
Im tired of listening to the teachers whining about their jobs. If you dont like it……..get out, simple as that. I also love it when there is a long weekend there is always a PA day thrown in as well. Gotta love those 4 day weekends !!!
Start doing the job you signed up for.
What about only two paid sick days per year and all others from your own pocket – as most private companies offer? What about 50 work hours per week (every week) and be paid for 37 hours per week only. What about no pension plan, two week vacation per year and … university degree in the pocket. Welcome to private sector.
Thats right they should be happy with the (non-) ‘agreement’ that was imposed on them. It really shouldn’t matter that in this country they have a legal right to collectively bargain and negotiate a contract.
Why should they be allowed to take days off for getting sick or for medical appointments. That is just what I want for my kids, a teacher with the flu coming to class.
I was really inconvienced with the 1 day strike. We all need to take NO time off, abolish vacations and statutory holidays, be paid less, work 12 hr days, etc. etc. Your right Stephen it needs to run it like a ‘business’… like a 3rd world business where everyone should be happy to have ‘any’ job. Its clearly the teacher fault that there was an financial crisis, and the previous stock market crashes, sovereign defaults, bursting of the financial bubbles, currency crises, dot-com bubble, bank runs, that have happened many many times over the last decades.
The market MUST make a profit and if the teacher (worker) has to pay for it when the 1% makes a ‘little mistake’ that is just the way it has to be.
Wow it must be amazing to work at a company where no one gets sick and has to take a day off. I also guess that unlike many parents you keep your kids home when you even suspect they may have an illness that may spread around the school. I assume that you also do extra work that is not your normal job at your employment without expectation of compensation or recognition for advancement. I am sure all the unionized and non-unionized employees you know in most companies do that too. Or do you not think people have a right to decide on what VOLUNTEER work they should do.
“Not a week goes by without at least one teacher missing!”
So what are you saying, that teachers should come into school sick, and cough and sneeze all over your kids? Oh that’s great. As a parent myself, if my kids teacher came into school ill and made my kid sick I’d be right pissed. Oh, and by the way, teachers don’t always miss school because they are ill, sometime they are forced by the school board (or the ministry of education) to go to training sessions.
Here’s a quarter, go buy a clue.
Why did you guys decide to be teachers? You know you are losing total respect from students and this translates to poor grades. As a parent of four, i am fed up with teachers taking days off etc. Not a week goes by without at least one teacher missing! replacemant teachers don’t work. Stop messing around, get out of the business or adult up.