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Dalton McGuinty and the Liberal government are claiming to have achieved "peace and stability in education" in Ontario because every teachers' bargaining unit in the province now has a contract in place until August 31, 2008. However, they had better not rest on their laurels for too long because, although all of the elementary and secondary teachers' contracts may be settled, there are many support staff contracts for which the negotiations have yet to be completed, or in many cases, even begun.

 

In District 11-Thames Valley, the Occasional Teachers, the Continuing Education Teachers, and the Continuing Education Instructors have all been without contracts since August 31, 2004, and the Professional Student Services Personnel have been without a contract since August 31, 2005. In addition, the ETFO Occasional Teachers have also been without a contract since August 2004, and three of the four CUPE contracts also expired on August 31, 2005. In other words, in this board, there are only two contracts settled and EIGHT others still to be completed. There are similar situations across the province.

Last week, after a year without a contract and about sixteen bargaining dates without any monetary items being agreed to, the District 11 Continuing Education Instructors' bargaining unit took a strike vote and gave their negotiations team a very decisive mandate. It is hoped that this step will ultimately result in a fair settlement for this bargaining unit.

 

Let there be no mistake, there cannot truly be "peace in education" until all of the bargaining units of all of the other education workers in the province have been able to successfully negotiate new contracts also.