Elementary teachers across Ontario will likely be heading into the winter break with a new contract.
Teachers and occasional teachers with the Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario (ETFO) voted 90% in favour of a deal with the Ontario Public School Boards’ Association (OPSBA) and the Ontario government.
“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,” says ETFO President Karen Brown. “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 four-year contract is retroactive to September, 2022, and includes increased wages, violence prevention training, and funding for new specialist teaching position, among other things.
The agreement still needs to be ratified by the School Boards’ Association with a vote being held this week.
“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 published statement.
ETFO represents approximately 80,000 teachers and occasional teachers, and 3,500 designated early childhood educators, education support personnel, and professional support personnel.
