Please visit this website for regular updates on contract negotiations involving all St. Clair Catholic employee unions and associations.
June 29, 2016 - St. Clair Catholic District School Board and OECTA Occasional Teachers Ratify New Contract
The St. Clair Catholic District School Board has a new three year deal with its occasional teaching staff – members of the Ontario English Catholic Teachers’ Association (OECTA) Occasional Unit.
The previous contract expired on August 31, 2014; and the new agreement will now run through August 31, 2017.
“We are extremely pleased to have reached local agreement with our occasional teachers,” says Dan Parr, Director of Education. “This new contract means we have now successfully concluded negotiations with all of our unions and associations.”
The local tentative agreement was reached on June 17, 2016. The tentative agreement is the result of bargaining under the new two-tier collective bargaining structure, created through the School Boards Collective Bargaining Act, 2014.
The contract has been ratified by both the Board of Trustees and the OECTA Occasional membership.
December 8, 2015 - Board of Trustees Ratifies CUPE, OECTA Elementary and Secondary and EWAO Tentative Agreements
Several tentative agreements negotiated in recent weeks with unions and associations representing St. Clair Catholic teachers and support staff, were ratified at tonight’s meeting of the Board of Trustees. Education sector contracts with employee groups require a two-tier bargaining process, with provincial agreements followed by local agreements.
Trustees have voted to accept local tentative agreements with CUPE Local 4168; the Ontario English Catholic Teachers’ Association (OECTA) – Elementary; and OECTA – Secondary. In addition, Trustees ratified the provincial agreement with the Education Workers’ Alliance of Ontario (EWAO), which represents St. Clair Catholic professional support workers.
“We are very pleased to be nearing the end of what has been a very lengthy process,” says Dan Parr, Director of Education. “Because of our strong partnership with our union and association leaders, we have been able to successfully negotiate these local agreements.”
“We greatly value the excellent working relationship we have with all of our employee groups in St. Clair Catholic,” says Carol Bryden, Chair of the Board. “Congratulations to the union leadership and to our senior administration for bringing these negotiations to a successful conclusion.”
Some contracts, which have now been ratified by the Board of Trustees, still require approval by the membership.
Local negotiations with the final two employee groups, EWAO and OECTA – Occasional are expected to get underway soon.
November 24, 2015 - Board of Trustees Ratifies Provincial Agreement with Canadian Union of Public Employees
The Board of Trustees for St. Clair Catholic has voted in favour of a provincial agreement between the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) and the Council of Trustees’ Association, bargaining in partnership with the Ontario government.
The agreement on central terms reached at provincial negotiations was announced on November 2, 2015.
The provincial deal has also been ratified by the CUPE membership.
St. Clair Catholic will now report the results of its ratification vote to the Council of Trustees’ Association.
Under the province’s two-tier bargaining process, contract agreements must be reached at both the provincial and local levels. On Monday, St. Clair Catholic and CUPE Local 4168 announced a tentative local agreement, which the CUPE membership has also ratified.
Details of that agreement will be presented to the Board of Trustees for ratification at a meeting on December 8, 2015.
CUPE represents a number of non-teaching support staff, including secretaries, custodians, educational assistants and early childhood educators.
November 24, 2015 - St. Clair Catholic and OECTA - Elementary Jointly Announce Local Tentative Agreement
The St. Clair Catholic District School Board and the Ontario English Catholic Teachers’ Association (OECTA) – St. Clair Elementary Unit have jointly announced a local tentative agreement.
The agreement was reached yesterday.
“We are pleased to reach a successful conclusion to these local talks with our elementary teachers,” says Dan Parr, Director of Education
“Our executive is pleased with the agreement reached with the Board and will strongly recommend ratification to our members,” says Wayne Bechard, President of OECTA – St. Clair Elementary Unit.
The local agreement will be brought to the Board of Trustees for ratification at a meeting on December 8, 2015.
Under the province’s two-tier bargaining process, contract agreements must be reached at both the provincial and local levels. Agreement on terms of the central agreement with OECTA was reached at the provincial table in August; and has since been ratified by both OECTA members and the St. Clair Catholic Board of Trustees.
No details of the agreement will be released until the local ratification process has been completed.
November 23, 2015 - Tentative Agreement Reached in Local Talks Between St. Clair Catholic and CUPE Local 4168
The St. Clair Catholic District School Board and the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) Local 4168 have announced a tentative agreement in local talks.
The agreement was reached on Friday.
Tentative agreement on central terms was reached at the provincial table on November 2, 2015. The November 2 Memorandum of Settlement will be brought to the Board of Trustees for ratification on Tuesday, November 24; and the local agreement will be brought for ratification at a meeting on December 8.
"We are pleased to be wrapping up the final stages of this round of labour negotiations," says Dan Parr, Director of Education.
No details of either agreement will be released until ratification is complete.
November 2, 2015 - CUPE Reaches Tentative Agreement with Council of Trustees and Provincial Government
The following information was released this morning by the Ontario Catholic School Trustees' Association.
"I am pleased to report that the Ontario Catholic School Trustees' Association (OCSTA) as part of the Council of Trustees' Association and the provincial government have together successfully negotiated a tentative agreement on central terms of a collective agreement for CUPE education workers in Ontario's schools," says Kathy Burtnik, President of OCSTA.
CUPE represents education workers in 26 English Catholic school boards.
"Working within the Council of Trustees' Association enabled us to achieve this first agreement under the School Boards Collective Bargaining Act. We appreciate and value our education workers and look forward to ratification in order to move forward in the best interests of our students," added OCSTA's president.
The details of the agreement remain confidential until ratified by all parties.
The Ontario Catholic School Trustees' Association is the provincial voice for Catholic education. Founded in 1930, OCSTA represents all English Catholic school boards and collectively educates 545,000 students in Ontario from Junior Kindergarten to Grade 12.
October 2, 2015 - Letter to Parents and Guardians from the Director of Education
As a result of a break down in provincial bargaining, the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) has increased its labour sanctions against Ontario school boards. The implementation of Work to Rule Phase 2 has resulted in some changes to the routine at all schools in Ontario.
At St. Clair Catholic, CUPE represents a number of non-teaching support staff, including secretaries, custodians, educational assistants and early childhood educators. CUPE’s withdrawal of services under Work To Rule Phase 2 includes:
- A change in the normal supervision of students provided by CUPE members
- Not sweeping entrances and hallways
- Not doing school compost programs
- Not collecting or accepting money for school-related initiatives and fundraising
However, it is important to note that schools remain open and instructional programs continue to run. During these unusual times in our schools, our principals and vice principals continue to work together with staff to maintain a caring and positive school environment. As always, student safety and learning remain the top priorities of all St. Clair Catholic staff, and superintendents are in daily contact with our schools to assess any concerns.
It is our goal to operate our schools in a safe environment for all students, according to a routine which is as close to normal as possible. However, as the withdrawal of services continues, it MAY have a more significant impact on schools.
I ask for your patience and your prayers, as together we work through these labour disruptions.
Sincerely,
Dan Parr
Director of Education
September 29, 2015 - CUPE Work To Rule Phase 2
As a result of a break down in provincial bargaining, the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) has increased its labour sanctions against Ontario school boards. The implementation of Work to Rule Phase 2 will result in some changes to the routine at your school.
CUPE represents a number of non-teaching support staff in our schools, including secretaries, custodians, educational assistants and early childhood educators.
The St. Clair Catholic District School Board is working with CUPE Local 4168 on exactly how Work to Rule Phase 2 will impact our schools; however, in the immediate future you may notice delays in having the telephone answered or being “buzzed-in” at the front door. Thank you for your patience.
Throughout this uncertain period of “work-to-rule” the St. Clair Catholic District School Board is committed to maintaining student safety, particularly for our most fragile students. CUPE has also committed to ensuring student safety.
It is our goal to operate our schools in a safe environment for all students, according to a routine which is as close to normal as possible. Again, thank you for your patience as together we work through these labour disruptions.
September 18, 2015
The Ontario Catholic School Trustees’ Association (OCSTA) and the Ontario English Catholic Teachers’ Association (OECTA) have each announced that the tentative agreement reached August 25, 2015 on all provincial table matters has been ratified.
The process of collective bargaining aimed at reaching agreement on local issues will now begin at each individual Catholic school board.
There are no “work-to-rule” limitations, or any other type of labour sanctions, involving Catholic teachers in Ontario, or in the St. Clair Catholic District School Board.
September 10, 2015
Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) announces “work to rule” for all casual, temporary and permanent members. Click here for more information.
September 8, 2015
St. Clair Catholic District School Board ratifies Memorandum of Settlement between Ontario English Catholic Teachers’ Association (OECTA) and the Ontario Catholic School Trustees’ Association. Click here for more information.
August 2015
We are pleased to announce that a tentative agreement on all provincial table matters has been reached between the Ontario English Catholic Teachers' Association (OECTA), the Ontario Catholic School Trustees' Association (OCSTA) and the Ontario government.
All elementary and secondary teachers will be in their classrooms to greet students, as scheduled, on Tuesday, September 8, 2015 – the first day of school at St. Clair Catholic.
To view or download a media release regarding the tentative agreement, click here.
May 2015
To view or download a letter from Director of Education Dan Parr regarding possible work action by the Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario, click here.