Province bowed to teachers' bullying, board chair says

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Kristin Rushowy

Robert Benzie

The province gave into "bullying methods" used by the elementary teachers' union by granting them a five-day extension to negotiations, says the chair of Toronto's public school board.

"I'm a bit surprised the government actually showed that kind of flexibility when they've been saying for months they wouldn't" budge on the deadline, said John Campbell, who heads the country's largest board.

"... I'm a bit baffled. Really what they have done is bowed to the bullying methods of the elementary teachers' leadership."

Education Minister Kathleen Wynne stressed it was a "one-time extension" from the original Sunday midnight deadline after which a four-year, 12 per cent salary offer was supposed to be off the table.

"The extension is till Friday and I have been very clear and remain clear that there's no more money. Those are the parameters in which they're working," Wynne told reporters yesterday at Queen's Park.

"They came in, we had a conversation, they've gone back to the table and my hope is that by Friday we'll have a deal."

Wynne yesterday declined to talk about "specifics" in the negotiations.

All 22 education-sector unions had until Nov. 30 to sign on to provincial-level agreements on salary and other big-money items, leaving individual boards to negotiate local issues before ratifying deals. All but the elementary teachers had done so in time.

Just moments before midnight Sunday, the union agreed to resume talks and the education ministry gave them five additional days.

It was unclear if the government made any commitment to equal funding for elementary and secondary education, a key union demand.

"We will not sign a long-term agreement that does not eliminate that gap," union president David Clegg has said.

Elementary teachers believe there is a $711-per-student gap in funding, although other sources say it is below $500.

Campbell questioned whether there is much difference when things like educational assistants, transportation or literacy and numeracy initiatives are taken into account.

Clegg has said with the extra money, school boards could hire 8,000 or more teachers, trim class sizes in grades 4 to 8, and boost teacher prep time to 375 minutes – equal to about one day out of the classroom a week. Public elementary teachers currently have 200 minutes of prep time a week; those who already have signed provincial agreements will see that rise to 240 in four years' time.

Rick Johnson of the Ontario Public School Boards' Association, which is involved in provincial discussions with the elementary teachers, said he is encouraged at what has transpired, especially considering it looked like the union was going to let the deadline pass.

"The only place to get things resolved is at the table," Johnson said. "We're just glad that they are back, and we'll work it out at the table."

Clegg was not available for comment yesterday, but a notice on the union's website said it is working toward a four-year agreement.