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| Update #12 - June 2023 - DCDSB Announces New Agreements with CUPE Local 218 |
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Durham Catholic District School Board (DCDSB) is pleased to announce that it has ratified collective agreements with four bargaining units represented by CUPE Local 218. These units represent the board’s Educational Assistants, Facilities Services (Custodial/Maintenance), Language Instructors for Newcomers to Canada/English as a Second Language Instructors (LINC/ESL), and Secretarial/Clerical/Technical staff.
“The DCDSB values our dedicated employees who are represented by CUPE Local 218, and who are important members of our Catholic learning community,” said Monique Forster, Chair of the DCDSB Board of Trustees. “I would like to express my sincere appreciation to the union representatives and board staff for their mutual efforts to establish renewed collective agreements. These new agreements represent our shared commitment to nurturing an environment conducive to excellence in education, where we listen, learn, and live in faith together.”
The DCDSB remains committed to working closely with all partners to provide outstanding Catholic education to approximately 22,000 elementary and secondary students in Durham Region, in addition to thousands of adult and continuing education learners.
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| Update #11 - November 20, 2022 - Schools Open on Monday, Nov. 21 |
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Schools Open Monday, November 21, 2022
We have been advised that talks between the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), the Government of Ontario and the Trustees’ Associations were successful over the weekend and a tentative collective agreement has been reached.
CUPE will not engage in strike action and our schools are open to students for in-person learning on Monday, November 21, 2022.
As a Catholic school board, we respect the collective bargaining rights of our employee union groups and we are pleased that an agreement has been reached centrally for education workers represented by CUPE across the province.
We will continue to provide updates on the status of labour negotiations for all our union groups at www.dcdsb.ca/collectivebargaining.
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| Update #10 - November 18, 2022 |
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Update on Potential School Closure on Monday, November 21, 2022
The Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) has announced a full withdrawal of services on Monday, November 21, 2022, if a tentative agreement is not reached before then.
Should a tentative settlement not be reached over the weekend, schools will be closed to all students and synchronous online learning will begin on Monday.
Here is what students and families can expect:
- Administrators have begun distributing technology to students and families who require access to technology. If you require technology, please advise your teacher or principal as soon as possible.
- The transition to synchronous online learning will begin on Monday, November 21, 2022, in accordance with the school’s regular bell schedule.
- Teachers will contact students and/or families to provide instructions about when and how to connect to their classes by start of day Monday.
- Remote learning will continue until a return to in-person learning is possible. Accommodations will be made for students based on individual needs and circumstances.
Special Education
We understand that each family situation is different and will provide accommodations to support students and families through any necessary transitions, including students with the highest complex needs. Educators will be communicating directly with families to provide more information on the support and learning that will be provided.
Attendance
As students are not reporting to our school sites, the Safe Arrival system will not be generating any automated calls to parents/guardians. Please continue to use the Safe Schools Arrival system to report if your child will be absent during synchronous learning.
We will continue to monitor the situation and provide updates to families as information becomes available. Please continue to check your email for communication and visit dcdsb.ca/collectivebargaining for updates.
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| Update #9 - November 16, 2022 |
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Today, the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) representing education workers across the province served noticed of legal strike action effective Monday, November 21, 2022, if no tentative agreement is reached before then. A legal strike can be a normal part of the collective bargaining process during labour negotiations.
In our board, CUPE represents support staff including custodians, maintenance staff, school administrative assistants, clerical and technology staff, educational assistants, and LINC/English as a Second Language instructors.
As always, the safety and supervision of students is our highest priority. As we continue to monitor the situation, please make note of the following information:
- In the event of a full withdrawal of services by CUPE members our schools will be closed to all students for reasons of health and safety.
- At this time, we recommend that parents and guardians have childcare arrangements in place for Monday, November 21 and for the duration of a strike.
- We understand that each family situation is different and will provide accommodations to support students and families through any necessary transitions, including students with the highest complex needs.
- For families who access childcare centres within our schools please contact your provider directly for information regarding their services in the event of school closures.
We will continue to provide parents and guardians with updates as information becomes available. In the event of school closures, notifications and more information will be sent directly via School Messenger email and updates will be posted at dcdsb.ca/collectivebargaining.
As a Catholic school board, we continue to be hopeful that a negotiated agreement will be reached soon.
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| Update #8 - November 7, 2022 |
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DCDSB Schools Open Tomorrow – November 8, 2022
The Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) has agreed to return to the negotiating table after the Government of Ontario committed to rescind Bill 28 Keeping Students in School Act.
As such, CUPE has confirmed they will end their protest and return to work on Tuesday, November 8, 2022. All Durham Catholic schools will therefore re-open to students tomorrow on their regular schedules.
School bussing will resume as usual. Parents and guardians can stay informed on transportation updates by visiting the Durham Student Transportation Services (DSTS) website at www.dsts.on.ca.
As a Catholic school board, we value all our employees and respect their right to engage in the collective bargaining process. We thank parents and guardians for their understanding and cooperation over the past few days as we took necessary steps to ensure the safety of our students.
We look forward to welcoming students back to in-person learning tomorrow and remain hopeful that a negotiated agreement will soon be reached. We will continue to provide updates and information at www.dcdsb.ca/collectivebargaining.
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| Update #7 - November 6, 2022 |
Schools Remain Closed for the Duration of CUPE’s Full Withdrawal of Services
At this point, it is our understanding that the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), representing support workers in our schools, will continue to withdraw all services to our schools for the upcoming week.
As such, Durham Catholic District School Board (DCDSB) schools will remain closed to all students for the duration of CUPE’s full withdrawal of services. Please do not send your child to school.
Our Principals, Vice-Principals and teaching staff are working to get things in place to move to synchronous instruction. On Monday, November 7, 2022, teachers will provide students with asynchronous work to be completed at any time during the day. Teachers will also communicate with students and families on Edsby to provide instructions on when and how to connect to live, synchronous classes beginning Tuesday, November 8, 2022.
We continue to monitor this situation and will provide you with updates as they become available. Please visit dcdsb.ca/collectivebargaining for the latest updates and information.
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| Update #6 - November 4, 2022 |
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As you are aware, schools have been closed to all students due to Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) labour action. This letter is to inform you of our plan to continue learning for students in the event of further labour disruption.
If the labour action extends into next week, here is what students and families can expect:
Monday, November 7, 2022
- Teachers will provide asynchronous work to students that can be completed at students’ own schedule during the day
- Teachers will contact students and families on Edsby to provide instructions about when and how to connect to live, synchronous classes by Tuesday.
- Administrators will continue to distribute technology to support access to synchronous learning
Tuesday, November 8, 2022
- Students will connect synchronously to their live virtual classes as per their teacher’s direction. Information regarding when and how to connect will be available on Edsby. Synchronous learning will continue until a return to in-person learning is possible. Accommodations will be made for students based on individual needs and circumstances.
Attendance
As students are not reporting to our school sites, the Safe Arrival system will not be generating any automated calls to parents/guardians. Please continue to use the Safe Schools Arrival system to report if your child will be absent during synchronous learning.
We remain hopeful that a resolution will be reached, and we look forward to welcoming our students back to in-person learning.
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| Update #5 - November 3, 2022 |
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SCHOOLS CLOSED TOMORROW (Friday, Nov. 4, 2022)
The Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) has confirmed that there will be a full withdrawal of services tomorrow, Friday, November 4, 2022.
Parents and guardians are advised that, for reasons of health and safety, all DCDSB schools will be closed to all students on Friday. Please do not send your child to school.
We understand that each family situation is different and will provide accommodations to support students and families through this transition, including students with the highest complex needs.
Educators will be providing asynchronous work tomorrow that can be completed at any time during the day. On Friday, Principals will begin communicating with families to determine who requires access to technology. If needed, the distribution of technology will begin tomorrow afternoon and continue next week.
Schools will be in contact with families to communicate the transition to synchronous learning for all students.
We will continue to monitor the situation and provide updates to families as information becomes available. Please continue to check your email for communication and visit dcdsb.ca/collectivebargaining for updates.
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| Update #4 - November 2, 2022 |
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The Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) representing support workers in our Board, has confirmed today that they will engage in a full withdrawal of services effective Friday, November 4, 2022, unless a negotiated agreement is reached before then.
At this point, we advise parents and guardians that our buildings will be closed to all students on Friday, in order to ensure their safety. Please do not send your child to school.
We are hopeful that an agreement can be reached as quickly as possible. We will continue to monitor the situation and provide updates to families as information becomes available. Please continue to check your email for communication.
If the full withdrawal of services by CUPE proceeds, educators will be reaching out to students Friday morning to provide them with asynchronous work that can be completed at any time during the day.
A list of common questions and answers is available below and on the board’s website at dcdsb.ca/collectivebargaining.
| When will we know if a strike will proceed and if schools will be open or closed on Friday, November 4, 2022? |
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While negotiations continue this week, an agreement between CUPE, the Government of Ontario and the trustees’ associations was yet been not reached. CUPE has confirmed that education workers represented by the union will engage in a protest on Friday, November 4, 2022.
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| If a strike proceeds and schools close to students, what happens to childcare services operating in schools? |
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Childcare programs for infants, toddlers, and preschools (who are currently enrolled) will continue to operate.
However, before and after school programs and EarlyON programs will not operate. Please contact your childcare provider for more information.
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| If there is a strike will students transition to remote learning? |
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Educators will be providing students with asynchronous work. Please check Edsby or your child’s backpack for information.
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| What will educators and other non-striking staff do during a CUPE strike? |
| All non-striking staff members are expected to report to work as usual on Friday, November 4, 2022. In the absence of students in classrooms, educators will be providing asynchronous learning and participating in a variety of professional development activities. |
| What is the status of Community Use of Schools permits? |
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Community Use of School permits will be cancelled for Friday, November 4, 2022.
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| How can I stay informed throughout the labour relations process? |
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Parents and guardians will receive important communications through the board’s School Messenger email system. We will also continue to post updates to our website at dcdsb.ca/collectivebargaining.
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| My child is in a cooperative education program that is outside of the school. Can students continue to participate in the program at their cooperative education site? |
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Yes, students may attend offsite cooperative education placements. DCDSB schools are closed for safety reasons. If a student’s cooperative education placement is at one of our DCDSB school buildings, please check with your child's cooperative education teacher.
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| Are DCDSB’s Continuing Education Centers closed for adult learners? |
| Yes. All Archbishop Anthony Meagher Catholic Continuing Education Centre sites will be closed due to the absence of custodial and secretarial staff to support maintaining access and safety in the building. |
| Will LINC and English as a Second Language (ESL) classes operate during a strike? |
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All LINC/ESL instructors are part of CUPE and will not be working at any of DCDSB’s three continuing education locations – Giffard Centre in Whitby, Ajax Welcome Centre, and Ajax Continuing Education Centre.
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| Will community partners who rent space at DCDSB remain open? |
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Yes, community partners such as Grandview Children Centre and Brock Community Centre will remain open.
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| Update #3 - October 31, 2022 |
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The Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) has indicated that if an agreement is not reached this week, there will be a full withdrawal of services on Friday, November 4, 2022. In Durham Catholic District School Board (DCDSB), this means there will be a full withdrawal of services by custodians, maintenance staff, school administrative assistants, clerical and technical staff, educational assistants, and LINC/English as a Second Language instructors in our schools and offices.
This evening the Durham Catholic District School Board (DCDSB) Trustees held a special board meeting to discuss this matter and in the event of a full withdrawal of services by CUPE members:
- DCDSB schools will be closed to all students on Friday, November 4, 2022. Families should not send their child(ren) to school on Friday if there is a full withdrawal of services.
- Childcare programs for infants, toddlers, and preschoolers (who are currently enrolled) will continue to operate. However, before and after school programs and EarlyON programs will be closed. Please contact your childcare provider for more information.
We continue to monitor this evolving situation and will communicate information as it becomes available at dcdsb.ca/collectivebargaining. We remain hopeful that an agreement between CUPE and the province will be reached soon.
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| Update #2 – October 30, 2022 |
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CUPE has served Notice of Legal Strike Action
Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) representing education workers across the province has served notice of legal strike action effective Friday, November 4, 2022. A legal strike can be a normal part of the collective bargaining process during labour negotiations.
In our board, CUPE represents support staff including, custodians, maintenance staff, school administrative assistants, clerical staff, educational assistants, LINC/English as a Second Language Instructors and Information Technology employees.
On Monday, October 31, 2022, our board will hold a Special Board meeting with Durham Catholic District School Board (DCDSB) Trustees to discuss this matter, and communications will be sent to parents and guardians via School Messenger and updates posted at dcdsb.ca/collectivebargaining that evening.
As always, the safety and supervision of our school communities is our highest priority. As we work with administrators to minimize implications on class instruction, please make note of the following information:
- At this time, we recommend that parents and guardians have childcare arrangements in place, should we be in a position where schools must be closed.
- In the event of school closures, parents and guardians will receive notification directly via School Messenger email and updates will be posted at dcdsb.ca/collectivebargaining.
As a Catholic school board, we continue to respect the collective bargaining process and are hopeful that an agreement will be reached soon.
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Update #1 - October 28, 2022
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Labour negotiations are currently underway across Ontario, which involve union groups that represent employees in Durham Catholic District School Board (DCDSB). While DCDSB is not directly involved in central bargaining at the provincial level, we know that parties are working diligently to achieve an agreement.
Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) representing education workers will be in a legal strike position effective Thursday, November 3, 2022. Being in a strike position does not necessarily mean an immediate withdrawal of services. A legal strike can be a normal part of the collective bargaining process during labour negotiations. In our board, CUPE represents support staff including custodians, maintenance staff, administrative assistants in schools, clerical staff, educational assistants, LINC/English as a Second Language Instructors and Information Technology employees. CUPE will provide 5 days advance notice of any withdrawal of service.
We will continue to follow this situation closely and are committed to providing you with accurate and timely information. As always, the most recent information and updates will be posted on the board’s website at dcdsb.ca/collectivebargaining. We encourage you to subscribe to this webpage for the latest updates.
Parents and guardians will also receive notification of any impacts on schools and/or potential school closures as information becomes available directly via School Messenger.
As a Catholic school board, we continue to respect the collective bargaining process and are hopeful that an agreement will be reached soon.
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