OSSTF/FEESO Suspends Strike Votes

TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - Aug. 27, 2012) - "OSSTF/FEESO will postpone strike votes in all bargaining units across the province except those in which conciliation is sought by the board," announced Ken Coran, President of the Ontario Secondary School Teacher's Federation (OSSTF/FEESO) this morning.

"I have emphasized continually that taking strike votes is a natural process in bargaining that occurs under the Ontario Labour Relations Act - the law which governs bargaining in Ontario - the law which OSSTF/FEESO has been following," stated Coran.

"OSSTF/FEESO is actively engaged in local bargaining with a number of school boards to achieve collective agreements that can be ratified locally. We are making progress bargaining with our employers and we no longer need to proceed with strike votes at this time unless a board seeks conciliation. Since our strike votes were announced at the end of June, there have been many developments related to bargaining and we are adjusting our actions accordingly."

Coran declared, "Once more, on behalf of all OSSTF/FEESO members, I am stating that OSSTF/FEESO members will be at work on the first day of school, doing what they do best - working with students. The start of the school year is not in jeopardy."

OSSTF/FEESO again calls upon the Liberal government to quit scaring and misleading students and parents; to withdraw an unnecessary and draconian piece of legislation that removes workers' bargaining rights and to allow local bargaining to continue. These are the actions that will put students first.

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.