Continuing Education Instructors' Bargaining Unit Newsletter:

Volume 2, Issue 2: November 17, 2003

President's Message

Believe it or not, we’re heading into the holiday season. I’m sure that a month from now, you’ll all be more than ready for a vacation from school and learners. I wish the public could see how hard you all work and what a great job you do! A holiday will be well deserved.

It has been a busy fall for me, also. As most of you know, I’m located at Wheable now, so the first thing I had to do was find my way around. The students knew more about the school and its routines than I did, so they were of great assistance! I thoroughly enjoy Wheable and the staff that work there. It has been a good move for me.

I have also been kept busy with federation business, and it is time to update the members on some of the things that have been happening.

Provincial Election

We were successful in electing a new Provincial government…something we had all been looking forward to. Perhaps there will be some positive changes for those of us in education, and OSSTF looks forward to working with the new government to introduce these changes.

Contract

Please be aware of articles in our local contract with the Board. If you are unsure of anything you are asked to do, please contact either myself or Wendy Hirschegger at the District office (659-6588). If we don’t know you are in difficulty, we are unable to assist you!

Bishop Townshend Award of Educator Excellence

Each year we are asked to nominate someone for the Bishop Townshend Award. Anyone who is a member of OSSTF may be nominated. The nomination must cover 4 categories in which the nominee contributes to the education of a learner: intellectual, spiritual, physical, and social. There is complete information regarding this award on the OSSTF website; there is a link from the front page.

We have been proud each year to have a representative from the Continuing Education Instructors’ bargaining unit at the Bishop Townshend Awards banquet.

Please contact me if you would like a nomination form. The deadline for CEI nominations is Tues. Dec. 9, 2003. Your nomination may be given to me, or forwarded to me at the district office.

This contest is a writing and creative arts competition with a category for the adult learner.

The topic for this year’s competition is "Appreciating One’s Freedom." I am certain some of our adult students have very unique and introspective views on this particular subject.

School level winning entries must be in to the district office by Friday November 21, 2003. Again, there is more information on our website.

Electronic Communication

Just a reminder that more and more, my communication with the membership will be done electronically. PLEASE remember to check your e-mail on a regular basis. If I have a home e-mail address for you, I will use that. If not, I will e-mail you by way of the Board’s e-mail.

All of our membership information will also be posted on our website. This includes info on how to contact the executive, our bargaining unit newsletters, as well as information from the other bargaining units. Keep yourself up-to-date, and check out the website regularly also!

Collective Bargaining Committee

The results of the summer survey have been tabulated, and the results are as follows, from most important to least important:

Many of you added a grid for education and experience, and that, too, is very important. We attempted that during last round of negotiations, and it was refused. However, we are going to keep trying….some day they’ll give in!

At the first meeting of the CBC, we went through the provincial list of bargaining priorities for this year to see if any of the items pertained to us.

At our next meeting, which is scheduled for November 17, we will continue going through items, and deciding what needs to stay and what needs to be changed. We will keep you posted on our progress.

Employment Insurance

It has come to our attention that the Provincial Office is gathering data concerning members who are still encountering difficulties in getting Employment Insurance benefits.

If you applied for EI and had any difficulties of delays in receiving those benefits, please email Barb O’Brien with the details so that we can compile the data for the Provincial Office.

Alternatively, if you would prefer to report the information directly to the Provincial Office, please send it to Jane Hulme.

Pay Equity

Pay Equity was also an item that many of you included on your CBC surveys however the Pay Equity process is not part of the regular contract negotiation process. It is entirely separate and the board has no choice as to whether or not it wishes to negotiate Pay Equity: they MUST do so; it is the law.

I am pleased to inform you that the pay equity committee has made a baby step forward! Lenore Alexander, our Provincial rep for this endeavor, has met with the committee, and we now have some job descriptions from the Board from which to select a male comparitor. There has not, however, been a date set to meet with the Board. There is another pay equity meeting scheduled for later in Nov. and again, we will keep you posted!

Continuing Education Instructors’ Bargaining Unit Annual General Meeting

The executive has set the date for the annual general meeting for the Con Ed Instructors bargaining unit.

We will meet on Monday May 31,2003, at 4pm at Wheable. Please take note of the date and mark it in your dayplanner. I hope to see all of the bargaining unit there!

Education Matters Online

The first issue of the District 11 magazine was published to our website on November 5. Click here to go to the current issue of Education Matters Online.

There are reports from the District officers, several feature articles and a new "Website Scavenger Hunt". Enter before December 5 to win an OSSTF fleece toque and scarf.

Supervision of Support Staff

When we were asked this fall to fill out our professional learning plan, many of you were very concerned that you were going have a performance appraisal.

There was a document produced in May of 2001 called "Procedures for the Supervision of Support Staff." As you know, we are considered support staff, and we are included in this document. The document reads "Each permanent employee shall receive one performance appraisal report at least once every two years." Thus far, this has NOT happened with our bargaining unit…. probably because the Board knows what a great job you are all doing!

We have been assured that, unless you request a performance appraisal to be done, this will not happen. You would be likely to put forth this request if you were attempting to acquire employment within the Teachers’ Bargaining Unit.

Meanwhile, keep up the good work…..I know you would all excel in a performance appraisal!!

Reminder of Resumption of OMERS Contributions

If you are a member of the Ontario Municipal Employees Retirement System (OMERS), you are reminded that the Ontario government has approved the OMERS Board's proposed contribution rates beginning with the first, full pay period in 2004.

The new rates are slightly higher than OMERS full rates were before the contribution holiday (August 1998 to December 2002).

For full details regarding the rates with some sample calculations, see the June 2003 Member Update Newsletter or the Sept. 9 News Release.

Let us not take thought for our separate interests, but let us help one another.
(OSSTF Motto)

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