Ontario English elementary teachers vote to approve new four-year contract

Ontario English elementary teachers have approved a new deal with the province, ending over a year’s worth of negotiations.

The Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario (ETFO), the union representing 80,000 teachers and occasional teachers, said 90 per cent of its members voted in favour of the four-year central agreement.

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“While this round of bargaining was exceptionally lengthy and difficult, ETFO members stood firm in the face of cuts, pressed for improvements to working and learning conditions, and won,” ETFO President Karen Brown said in a statement on Friday.

“This agreement is proof that the legal bargaining process works when it’s allowed to unfold as intended. I want to thank members for their strength, resistance and persistence.”

The deal reached last month includes retroactive pay due to Bill 124, a 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.

Regarding salary increases, the union and the province agreed to send it to arbitration.

The deal also includes violence prevention training for all permanent and long-term occasional members on at least one PA day this academic year and provides public-facing signage that communicates behaviour expectations. Additional funding has also been provided for benefits, specialist teaching positions related to reading screening, and additional support staff.

"I am pleased that the Elementary Teachers' Federation of Ontario has ratified their teachers' central agreement, ensuring that 950,000 children benefit from three stable school years," Education Minister Stephen Lecce said in a statement.

"We continue to call on Catholic and French education unions to get their deals done, so that all kids are in class without the treat of disruption, with an emphasis on strengthening essential skills like reading, writing and math."

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.