Collective Bargaining Updates

Subscribe to this Page

May 20, 2016 - Collective Bargaining Update #29

The Durham Catholic District School Board and the Ontario English Catholic Teachers Association (OECTA) Secondary Unit reached a tentative settlement for a renewed collective agreement on May 5, 2016. This agreement has now been ratified by both the Board and the OECTA Secondary membership.

This settlement represents the eighth and final locally negotiated collective agreement with our union partners.

The Board looks forward to implementing all of its renewed collective agreements with our bargaining agents:

Association of Professional Student Services Personnel (APSSP)
Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) Local 218
Elementary Teachers' Federation of Ontario (ETFO)
Ontario English Catholic Teachers Association (OECTA)

April 7, 2016 - Collective Bargaining Update #28

Association of Professional Student Services Personnel (APSSP)

The Durham Catholic District School Board is pleased to announce that it has reached a tentative settlement for a renewed collective agreement with the Durham Chapter of the Association of Professional Student Services Personnel (APSSP). The Association represents the Board's para-professional staff.

The details of the settlement are confidential as the tentative agreement for a renewed collective agreement must be ratified locally by APSSP and the Board of Trustees. Board staff will bring the tentative settlement forward for ratification at the next Regular Board of Trustees Meeting on April 25, 2016.

This tentative settlement with APSSP is the seventh collective agreement renewed between the Board and its Union partners under the province's two-tiered bargaining system.

April 5, 2016 - Collective Bargaining Update #27

Ontario English Catholic Teachers Association (OECTA) Elementary

On March 29, 2016, the Board of Trustees, at its Regular Board Meeting, ratified the tentative agreement reached with our elementary teachers. The membership of the OECTA Elementary Unit also ratified the settlement for a renewed collective agreement at its meeting on April 4, 2016. The parties will now work together to implement the new collective agreement.

March 31, 2016 - Collective Bargaining Update #26

Ontario English Catholic Teachers Association (OECTA) Secondary

Local bargaining continued on March 30, 2016 with the assistance of a conciliator from the Ministry of Labour. At this point in negotiations, Ontario English Catholic Teachers Association (OECTA) Secondary has requested a No Board Report from the Ministry-appointed conciliator. The initiation of the No Board Report would place secondary teachers in a legal strike position effective April 20, 2016. This timeline is dependent on the release date of the No Board Report.

Being in a legal strike position does not mean that teachers will move immediately to a full withdrawal of services. The Board has a contingency plan in place to address any job action, and continues to explore all options to reach a satisfactory resolution.

The Board and OECTA have agreed to meet April 4, 2016. It is the Board's goal to reach a negotiated settlement with OECTA that is fair to our teachers, supports our strategic priorities and maintains student needs and parental involvement as a priority.

March 29, 2016 - Collective Bargaining Update #25

The Durham Catholic District School Board is pleased to announce that local bargaining continues with the Association of Professional Student Services Personnel on March 30 and April 5, 2016.

We also continue local bargaining with Ontario English Catholic Teachers Association (OECTA) Secondary teachers on March 30, 2016.

March 22, 2016 - Collective Bargaining Update #24

The Durham Catholic District School Board is pleased to announce that a tentative settlement for a renewed collective agreement with the Ontario English Catholic Teachers Association (OECTA), which represents our Elementary teachers, has been reached.

The details of the settlement will remain confidential as they are subject to local ratification by the Board and OECTA Elementary Unit members. Board staff will bring the tentative settlement forward for ratification at the Regular Board Meeting on March 29, 2016.

This tentative settlement represents the seventh collective agreement renewed between the Board and its Union affiliates under the province's two-tiered bargaining system.

March 18, 2016 - Collective Bargaining Update #23

The Board and OECTA elementary met on March 18, 2016 - the parties made very positive progress to reach a tentative settlement for a renewed collective agreement. The Board and OECTA have agreed to a next bargaining date of March 21, 2016.

March 11, 2016 - Collective Bargaining Update #22

The Durham Catholic District School Board met with the Ontario English Catholic Teachers' Association (OECTA) Elementary for local negotiations of a renewed collective agreement on March 8, 2016. Further bargaining towards a negotiated settlement will take place over the remainder of this month.

March 9, 2016 - Collective Bargaining Update #21

Local bargaining continues between the Durham Catholic District School Board and the Association of Professional Student Service Personnel (APSSP) including child and youth services, social work services, psychological services, and speech and language services.

Future dates to continue local bargaining have been set for March 30, 2016 and April 5, 2016. The Board remains hopeful and committed to reaching a settlement for a local collective agreement. We will provide further updates as information becomes available.

March 4, 2016 - Collective Bargaining Update #20

Future bargaining dates have been scheduled for the Ontario English Catholic Teachers' Association (OECTA) Elementary and Secondary Units on Tuesday, March 8, 2016 and Thursday, March 24, 2016 respectively.

We are grateful that OECTA has agreed to these dates and remain hopeful that we are able to achieve negotiated settlements. We will provide updates as information becomes available.

March 3, 2016 - Collective Bargaining Update #19

Elementary Update

The Durham Catholic District School Board has been engaged in local negotiations with our Elementary teachers represented by the Ontario English Catholic Teachers' Association (OECTA) since September 2015.

This past week, following our 9th negotiation session, OECTA chose to discontinue talks and take the necessary next steps toward organized job action. Consequently, our Elementary teachers will be in a legal strike position as of March 14, 2016. Being in a strike position does not mean that teachers will move immediately to a full withdrawal of services.

In spite of the actions taken by OECTA, the Board continues to explore all options to reach a satisfactory resolution. The Board has offered to engage in joint mediation and binding arbitration. OECTA has declined both offers.

Further information regarding any potential job action, including work-to-rule, will be communicated as it becomes available. In the meantime, the Board has indicated its willingness to continue with meaningful collective bargaining with OECTA, with the goal of achieving a renewed collective agreement.

Our priority during any job action will be student safety, achievement and well-being. We will continue to maintain student needs and parent involvement as a consideration in all decision-making.

Secondary Update

The OECTA Secondary Unit has chosen to discontinue talks in our local negotiations for a renewed collective agreement. The Union has filed for conciliation and will take steps to be in a legal strike position. The Board has offered meeting dates to continue local bargaining and hopes that OECTA will accept.

March 1, 2016 - Collective Bargaining Update #18

The purpose of this update is to provide a summary of developments in local bargaining with our elementary teachers.

The Durham Catholic District School Board and Ontario English Catholic Teachers Association (OECTA), representing our elementary teachers, have met for nine local bargaining sessions. At the latest session on Monday, February 22, 2016, the Board tabled an Offer of Settlement on all Outstanding Matters for renewal of a collective agreement with OECTA Elementary.

The OECTA negotiating team did not accept the offer, and in response have filed for conciliation and made the request for a No-Board Report. As such, elementary teachers of the Durham Catholic District School Board will be in a legal strike position as of March 14, 2016. This may include labour action or withdrawal of service, up to and including a full strike. It does not necessarily mean that a full withdrawal of service would occur in our elementary schools as of March 14, 2016.

Under the School Boards Collective Bargaining Act, the Union is required to provide the Board with five days' written notice of their intent to start any form of job action. We will keep our communities informed if a notice of job action is issued.

Mediation is an option, but requires the consent of both parties. The Board is willing to engage the services of a Ministry of Labour mediator. OECTA has not yet agreed to enter into voluntary mediation.

Our priority during any job action will be student safety, achievement and well-being. We will continue to maintain student needs and parent involvement as a consideration in all decision-making.

As a school system, we have the greatest respect for our elementary teachers, and recognize the important role they play in the lives of our students. We have achieved five of eight local agreements through the collective bargaining process, and we remain committed to reaching fair, negotiated agreements with our remaining employee groups.

February 19, 2016 - Collective Bargaining Update #17

The Durham Catholic District School Board and its local of the Elementary Teachers' Federation of Ontario (ETFO), which represents our Designated Early Childhood Educators, reached a tentative settlement for a renewed collective agreement late in the evening on February 19, 2016. The details of this settlement are confidential until the tentative agreement is ratified by the Durham Catholic District School Board of Trustees and the ETFO membership.

Local bargaining with the Ontario English Catholic Teachers' Association (OECTA) Elementary Unit continues on February 22, 2016.

February 5, 2016 - Collective Bargaining Update #16

Further to the Board's previous news releases, we are pleased to announce that four of the Board's collective agreements have been ratified. The ratified agreements are with CUPE Local 218, which represents the Board's education support staff workers, as well as with the OECTA Occasional Teachers' Unit.

Local negotiations with the Association of Professional Student Services Personnel (APSSP) which represents the Board's paraprofessional staff started on February 3, 2016. Local bargaining will continue with further negotiating meeting on March 30, 2016 and April 5, 2016.

Local negotiations with the Elementary Teachers' Federation of Ontario (ETFO), which represents our Early Childhood Educators, also started this week on February 4, 2016. Future bargaining date have been scheduled for February 19, 2016.

With regards to local bargaining with OECTA Elementary, the next scheduled meeting is for February 18, 2016. However, the parties have jointly agreed to apply for conciliation through the Ministry of Labour, and as a result, this bargaining date may change subject to the appointment of a conciliation officer.

Local bargaining with the OECTA Secondary Teacher Unit will continue on February 10, 2016. The parties have jointly agreed to the appointment of a mediator from the Ministry of Labour to assist the parties in reaching a renewed collective agreement.

January 15, 2016 - Collective Bargaining Update #15

The Board and CUPE Local 218 reached a tentative settlement for three (3) renewed collective agreements on December 17, 2015. CUPE represents the Board's custodial/maintenance staff, Educational Assistants, and Secretarial/Technical/Clerical employees. The details of the settlement are confidential until the tentative agreement is ratified by the Durham Catholic Board of Trustees and membership of CUPE Local 218.

The Board and the OECTA Occasional Teachers' Bargaining Unit reached a tentative settlement for a renewed collective agreement on January 14, 2016. The details of the settlement are confidential until the tentative agreement is ratified by the Durham Catholic Board of Trustees and membership of the Occasional Teacher Bargaining Unit.

November 30, 2015 - Collective Bargaining Update #14

The Board is pleased to announce that as a result of two more tentative settlements reached on November 26, 2015 at the provincial level, all of the Board's union partners have central collective agreements covering their members.

The Education Workers' Alliance of Ontario (EWAO), which serves as the Employee Bargaining Agency for various unions under the School Boards Collective Bargaining Act, including the Association Professional Student Services Personnel (APSSP), reached a tentative settlement with the Ontario Catholic School Trustees Association (OCSTA) and the Ministry of Education for a first central terms agreement. APSSP represents the Board's para-professionals, such as Child and Youth Counsellors, Communication Disorder Assistants, Orientation and Mobility Specialist, Psychologists, Social Workers, and Speech and Language Pathologists. Local bargaining between the Board and APSSP will follow the ratification process for this tentative settlement.

OCSTA and the Ministry of Education also reached a tentative settlement for a first central collective agreement with the Elementary Teachers Federation of Ontario (ETFO) Educational Workers. Locally, ETFO represents the Board's Early Childhood Educators. This settlement is also subject to a central ratification process. Local bargaining with ETFO will start following a ratified agreement.

The Board wishes to acknowledge and congratulate OSCTA for its work on behalf of Catholic boards across Ontario in negotiating central agreements.

November 24, 2015 - Collective Bargaining Update #13

On November 21, 2015, the Council of Trustees' Association, which compromises trustee associations from three of the four publicly-funded education systems, including the Ontario Catholic School Trustees' Association (OCSTA) and the Ministry of Education, reached a tentative settlement for a first central collective agreement under the School Boards Collective Bargaining Act (SBCBA), with the Education Workers Alliance of Ontario (EWAO).

November 10, 2015 - Collective Bargaining Update #12

On November 2, 2015, the Ontario Catholic School Trustees' Association (OCSTA), Ministry of Education, and the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) reached a tentative settlement for a first central collective agreement.

The details of the settlement will remain confidential until OCSTA and CUPE have completed their respective ratification processes. As a result of the central tentative settlement, CUPE has cancelled its work to rule actions. Local bargaining with CUPE Local 218 and the Board continues with future negotiation dates scheduled for December 3, 4, 9, and 15, 2015.

Local bargaining with the Ontario English Catholic Teachers' Association (OECTA) Occasional Teachers started on November 10, 2015 with a future negotiations scheduled for November 24, 2015.

October 19, 2015 - Collective Bargaining Update #11

The tentative settlement reached by OCSTA, Ministry of Education, and OECTA Provincial for a central collective agreement under the School Boards Collective Bargaining Act (SBCBA) has been ratified by the negotiating parties.

Local bargaining by the Board with OECTA Elementary has continued into October. To date, there has been four (4) bargaining meetings held. Future meeting dates for local bargaining are November 26/27, 2015.

October 1, 2015 - Collective Bargaining Update #10

As previously reported, Phase 1 of the current Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) Local 218 work-to-rule campaign started on September 10, 2015 and has continued during collective bargaining at the CUPE central table. This work-to-rule is a legal exercise of the union's rights under the Ontario Labour Relations and School Boards Collective Bargaining Acts.

September 18, 2015 - Collective Bargaining Update #9

Central table negotiations between the CUPE Provincial Bargaining Committee, the Ontario Catholic School Trustees Association (OCSTA) and the Ministry of Education have taken place and local negotiations for renewed collective agreements with CUPE Local 218 continue.

The provincial work-to-rule campaign initiated by the union on September 10, 2015 continues with employees working to the terms of their collective agreement. Details of the CUPE work-to-rule can be viewed at http://cupe.on.ca/sectors/school-boards/.

The Ontario English Catholic Teachers' Association (OECTA) represents the elementary, secondary and occasional teachers in their employment with the Board. Local negotiations with the OECTA Elementary and Secondary units have been scheduled.

The tentative settlement between the OCSTA and OECTA provincial bargaining committees is subject to the ratification processes of each party. The details of the settlement remain confidential until the agreement has been ratified.

September 10, 2015 - Collective Bargaining Update #8

On August 29, 2015, the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) Local bargaining units representing education support staff workers across Ontario voted to support a plan of escalating job action beginning September 10.

Today the Durham Catholic District School Board (DCDSB) was informed that our CUPE Local 218 unit has been directed to commence work-to-rule action this morning. This includes our custodians, secretaries, educational assistants and some information technology staff.

August 31, 2015 - Collective Bargaining Update #7

The Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), which represents 55,000 education support workers in the education sector across Ontario, including Durham Catholic District School Board's custodians, educational assistants, information technology staff and school secretaries, is currently engaged in labour negotiations with the Ontario Catholic Schools' Trustee Association (OCSTA) and the Ministry of Education towards bargaining a central agreement under the School Boards Collective Bargaining Act.

It is the Board's understanding that CUPE has requested a No Board Report from the Ministry of Labour and could be in a legal strike position provincially as of September 10, 2015. According to media reports, the Board understands that without a negotiated agreement by September 10, CUPE members, including those at DCDSB, would engage in a work-to-rule campaign and related job action throughout Ontario school boards.

The CUPE provincial body has indicated in a news release that their job action plan could gradually increase to rotating strikes and eventually a full province-wide strike if there is not a negotiated agreement between the parties at the central bargaining table. The Board has a contingency plan in place to address any labour action that may occur.

The Board has started local bargaining with its union partner CUPE Local 218 to negotiate renewed collective agreements that support the Board's strategic goals and are fair for our employees.

We remind students, parents and guardians that classes will resume on Tuesday, September 8, 2015. We look forward to the new school year and will provide further updates as negotiations continue.

August 25, 2015 - Collective Bargaining Update #6

The Ontario Catholic School Trustees' Association (OCSTA) has announced that OCSTA, the Ontario English Catholic Teachers' Association (OECTA) and the provincial government have successfully negotiated a tentative collective agreement on central terms for elementary, secondary and occasional teachers in Ontario's Catholic schools. The details of the agreement remain confidential until ratified by all parties.

Negotiations continue with the unions representing other staff employed in Catholic schools and school board offices.

We remind students, parents and guardians that classes will resume on Tuesday, September 8, 2015. We look forward to the new school year.

August 24, 2015 - Collective Bargaining Update #5

Labour negotiations between the Ontario Catholic School Trustees' Association (OCSTA), the Ministry of Education, and the Ontario English Catholic Teachers' Association (OECTA) towards a provincially negotiated settlement continue with bargaining meetings on August 20, 21, 24 and 25. The Board remains hopeful that these central bargaining parties are able to reach an agreement prior to the start of the 2015-2016 school year.

We advise parents and guardians that classes will resume on Tuesday, September 8, 2015. In the absence of an agreement between the Ministry, OCSTA and OECTA prior to Thursday, September 3, 2015, our teachers will be implementing a work-to-rule campaign, which involves the withdrawal of administrative duties, including extra-curricular activities. We hope that a provincial settlement will be reached prior to the school year starting so that schools will operate as normal.

We look forward to our staff and students returning to school in September.

August 13, 2015 - Collective Bargaining Update #4

As we anticipate the start of a new school year, school boards across the province are preparing for a possible labour disruption in our schools. The Durham Catholic District School Board (DCDSB) is committed to providing updated information for the parents and guardians of our students regarding the status of collective bargaining.

July 9, 2015 - Collective Bargaining Update #3

As you may be aware, potential labour disruptions affecting the Ontario English Catholic Teachers Association (OECTA) have been reported in the news.

The Durham Catholic District School Board is committed to having students in our classrooms for the fall and during the instructional year and it is our intent to negotiate, in good faith, renewed collective agreements with our union partners without labour disruption if possible. However, we understand and respect the union's legal rights to strike under the Ontario Labour Relations Act (OLRA) and School Boards Collective Bargaining Act (SBCBA).

Should strike action take place in September or otherwise, contingency plans will be put into place by the Board, including communications with parents and guardians through updates available at dcdsb.ca, Twitter @Durham Catholic and Facebook.

May 7, 2015 - Collective Bargaining Update #2

As you may be aware, potential labour disruptions affecting a number of school boards across the Province of Ontario have been reported in the news. On May 5, 2015, the Elementary Teachers' Federation of Ontario (ETFO) has announced their intention to start legal job action effective Monday, May 11, 2015.

This note is to clarify that an ETFO strike does not include elementary teachers or Early Childhood Educators (ECEs) of the Durham Catholic District School Board (DCDSB) and as such, all DCDSB elementary and secondary schools will continue with daily operations and programs as usual.

We will continue to provide our parents, guardians and students with collective bargaining updates on our website at www.dcdsb.ca.

April 28, 2015 - Labour Relations Update

On Friday, April 24, the Ontario English Catholic Teachers' Association (OECTA), the union which represents 50,000 Catholic elementary, secondary and occasional teachers across the province, announced that 94% of its members voted in favour of strike action.

While teachers at the Durham Catholic District School Board (DCDSB) are represented by OECTA, they are not in a legal strike position at this time.

Strike votes are a normal part of the collective bargaining process and the OECTA Provincial Negotiating Team is currently bargaining with the Ontario Catholic School Trustees' Association (OCSTA) and the Ministry of Education under the School Boards Collective Bargaining Act.

Negotiations at a provincial level are scheduled for April 29 and 30. Once completed, local bargaining between DCDSB and OECTA will begin. The Board is committed to negotiating renewed collective agreements with OECTA in good faith and in the best interests of students.

We will continue to provide our parents and guardians with updates that affect our students at dcdsb.ca.

Thank you.