OSSTF/FEESO Members in Ontario North East Announce Job Action

TIMMINS, ON--(Marketwired - October 26, 2015) - Ontario Secondary School Teachers' Federation (OSSTF/FEESO) teachers in District 1, Ontario North East, will begin legal strike action on Monday, November 2, unless a local collective agreement can be reached between OSSTF/FEESO and the school board by that time.

"We will begin with a selective withdrawal of services that will inconvenience school board administration but have no impact on students' education at this time," said Derek Beland, President of OSSTF/FEESO District 1, Teacher Bargaining Unit. "We hope this will help focus the employer's attention on the need to reach an agreement with us, in an expeditious way, that respects the outstanding work our teachers do on behalf of their students."

Harvey Bischof, OSSTF/FEESO Vice President and Chair of the local bargaining team, said, "Two months after a central agreement was achieved, it is high time this employer heeded the pattern of local settlements that has emerged across the province. We remain committed to reaching a fair and respectful agreement and hopeful that no escalation of sanctions will be required."

OSSTF/FEESO, founded in 1919, has 60,000 members across Ontario. They include public high school teachers, occasional teachers, educational assistants, continuing education teachers and instructors, early childhood educators, psychologists, secretaries, speech-language pathologists, social workers, plant support personnel, university support staff, and many others in education.