OSSTF/FEESO District 19 Peel Teachers and Occasional Teachers and the Peel District School Board Agree to Implement Award of Arbitration Panel

TORONTO, ON--(Marketwired - July 28, 2015) - After three days of mediation, the Ontario Secondary School Teachers' Federation (OSSTF/FEESO) bargaining units representing secondary teachers and occasional secondary teachers in District 19 Peel and the Peel District School Board will implement the interim award of an arbitration panel. While the panel's award was a partial award and does not address all local issues, many issues were settled that will now be included as local terms in both bargaining units' collective agreements. However, this award does not comprise a complete collective agreement and the parties could find themselves at impasse at a future date depending on the disposition of central table issues.

"I am happy to report on behalf of the OSSTF/FEESO bargaining team that we were able to reach consensus with the Peel District School Board on many of the items in our local contracts. It was unfortunate that it took seven months, a full work withdrawal and the threat of arbitration to accomplish this much with the employer. We hope that this spirit of cooperation continues so that we can complete the agreement with the Board in the coming months as we move on to arbitration," stated District 19 President Mike Bettiol.

Cindy Dubué, OSSTF/FEESO Vice President and Chair of the Bargaining Team commended the bargaining team members for their efforts and dedication in addressing their members' issues and commented that "OSSTF/FEESO has always believed that it was possible to reach a local negotiated deal despite the Peel Board's refusal to negotiate. We saw more bargaining and movement in these three days of mediation than during all of our previous bargaining dates and achieved results."

At this point, OSSTF/FEESO will not be providing any further information on the award details while this arbitration process continues.

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.