Ontario elementary teachers voting this week on whether to accept province’s deal

An empty classroom is shown in Scarborough, Ont., on Monday, September 14, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette

Ontario English elementary teachers will vote this week on whether to accept the province’s tentative agreement, ending over a year’s worth of negotiating between the two parties.

The deal, which includes retroactive pay due to Bill 124 and sends unresolved issues to binding arbitration, was made last month.

Once ratified, the agreement would be in effect retroactive to Sept. 1, 2022 and expire on Aug. 31, 2026.

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A copy of the tentative agreement with the Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario (ETFO), obtained by CTV News Toronto, show teacher salaries will be among the issues referred to a third party.

At the same time, the province agreed to retroactive pay as a result of Bill 124, a piece of legislation that capped public sector worker wage increases at one per cent for three years.

Teachers will receive an additional 0.75 per cent annually for two years. The retroactive pay for the third year will be referred to an arbitrator; however the union says the increase for that year could be between 1.50 per cent and 3.25 per cent.

The province also agreed to include violence prevention training for all permanent and long-term occasional members on at least one PA day this academic year and provide public-facing signage that communicate behaviour expectations.

Additional funding has also been provided for benefits, specialist teaching positions related to reading screening, and additional support staff.

Members of ETFO will vote over the next few days on whether they want to accept the agreement. The results will be released on Friday.

Three other teachers’ unions in Ontario are still without a deal. Ontario secondary teachers remain in binding arbitration while Catholic teachers have taken the next step towards a strike by calling for conciliation.

The union representing French-language teachers remains in negotiations and has yet to hold a strike vote.