Explanation of Contractual Terms

 

The language in a collective agreement can be difficult to understand.  We’ve prepared an explanation of the various terms that you will encounter while reading the Collective Agreement.  We hope you find this useful!  If you have any questions or comments, please do not hesitate to contact the office of Local Ontario North East.

New Terms:

BILL 122 – SCHOOL BOARDS COLLECTIVE BARGAINING ACT

In April 2014, legislation called the School Boards Collective Bargaining Act, 2014, is also referred to as “Bill 122” was passed. Bill 122 mandates a system of two-tier collective bargaining in the education sector that includes central (provincial) and local tables for teacher, occasional teacher, DECE, ESP, and PSP bargaining units represented by ETFO.

For a more detailed explanation of Bill 122 & the School Boards Collective Bargaining Act, please visit the ETFO Collective Bargaining 2014 page describing the bargaining process.

CENTRAL NEGOTIATIONS refer to negotiations that happen at a provincial level. The parties at the central bargaining table are ETFO, Representatives of the Ontario School Boards Association and the Ontario Government. The central table is required to negotiate all items falling within the scope of central bargaining. What constitutes a central item will be negotiated by the parties at the table, and the government. However, the Minister can reserve a matter for central bargaining on the basis that: The matter could result in significant impact on the implementation of provincial education policy, in the opinion of the Minister; or The matter could result in a significant impact on expenditures for one or more school boards, in the opinion of the Minister.  Once ratified, the central table issues will be binding on all school boards represented by the employer bargaining agency.  In our case, this means that all English public school boards will be required to implement the terms agreed to by the central table process.

LOCAL BARGAINING refers to negotiations that happen at a local level. ETFO locals and individual school boards will continue to conduct bargaining on local issues based on the Labour Relations Act. A local agreement does not come into effect until both the central and local agreements have been ratified.