In the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Ontario Council of Educational Workers (OCEW) reached a tentative agreement with the Council of Trustees’ Association (CTA) and the Ontario government on central terms for a new collective agreement on April 4, 2020.
“During the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic the OCEW bargaining team worked tirelessly to reach a tentative deal without any concessions, thank you for your dedication and commitment to achieving the best agreement for our members during these unprecedented times” says OPSEU President Warren (Smokey) Thomas.
The OCEW Bargaining Team unanimously recommends the acceptance of the tentative agreement to their respective members. Members will have the opportunity to vote online between April 27-29, 2020. Voting information will be sent to personal and/or school board emails. A summary of the agreement will be made available to OPSEU and ERFP affiliate members early next week. OPSEU represents approximately 6,500 full-time and part-time members in nine locals and affiliate members who are all included in the deal.
Bargaining began in September 2019 and the latest round of negotiations that kick-started March 30 were conducted via tele-conferencing to ensure social distancing. Further details of the deal will be provided upon ratification, which is currently being determined amid current COVID-19 conditions.
The Ontario Council of Educational Workers is a bargaining council made up of seven unions representing over 7,000 workers at Public and Catholic School Boards across Ontario.
Workers represented by OPSEU include educational assistants, office and clerical, information technology staff, child and youth workers, designated early childhood educators, interpreters, Indigenous advisors, applied behavioral analysis support workers, English as a Second Language (ESL) instructors, Language Instructing for Newcomers to Canada (LINC) instructors, and citizenship program Instructors.
Locals represented by OPSEU:
- Local 283 – Peel District School Board
- Local 283 – Dufferin-Peel Catholic District School Board
- Local 292 – Peel District School Board
- Local 330 – Simcoe County District School Board
- Local 423 – Ottawa Catholic School Board
- Local 514 – York Region District School Board
- Local 614 – Rainbow District School Board
- Local 663 – Moosonee District School Area Board
- Local 742 – Kenora Catholic District School Board
- Educational Resource Facilitators of Peel (ERFP) (affiliate members)
For more information: OPSEU President Warren (Smokey) Thomas, 613-329-1931