OSSTF District 11- Thames Valley
Ontario Secondary School Teachers' Federation

680 Industrial Road, London, Ontario, N5V 1V1
Phone: (519) 659-6588; Fax: (519) 659-2421; Email: osstf11@execulink.com

OSSTF’s Annual Meeting of the General Assembly made a number of changes to the name, structure and appointment process for Mediation Council.

Effective July 1, 2006, Mediation Council will be called Mediation Services Resource Bank (MSRB). It will still contain eight member mediators and still perform the same mediation services as in the past. The process for applying for mediation services will continue unchanged. The Terms of Reference and Guidelines for the MSRB will be posted on the OSSTF website.

Members of the MSRB will be appointed by the Provincial Executive. Previously, five members were appointed by Provincial Council, each for five year terms and three members were appointed to serve as a Mediation Resource Bank by the Provincial Executive, each for three year terms. This unusual method of appointing members for different terms to the same council to perform the same job created confusion and uncertainty for members of Mediation Council.

Former members of Mediation Council were, and future members of the MSRB will be, all highly qualified to perform mediation services. Each member takes – often at OSSTF expense – training equivalent to the Advanced ADR Workshop provided by the Stitt Feld Handy Group.

AMPA approved the current members of the Mediation Council continuing on the new Mediation Services Resource Bank to ensure continuity of expertise and service. At this time, one of the eight positions on the new MSRB will be vacant. As a result, the Provincial Executive of OSSTF is inviting applications for appointment to fill this vacancy on the MSRB. Interested applicants should submit a letter of application, accompanying resume and two letters of reference attesting to the applicant’s abilities
(one of which should be external to OSSTF) to: Bill Reith, Director of Educational Services, OSSTF, 60 Mobile Drive, Toronto, Ontario M4A 2P3 by May 19, 2006.

Successful candidates should ideally possess:
• advanced qualifications and experience in mediation
• a willingness to travel to different areas of Ontario
• familiarity with the OSSTF District/Bargaining Unit and workplace structure
• the ability to gain release time from work periodically to perform mediation services
• an appreciation of the different types of members that make up the Federation.
Bilingualism would be an asset.

OSSTF underwrites the cost for MSRB mediators to perform mediation services for members across the province. In certain cases, OSSTF may provide applicants to the MSRB with additional mediation training in order to ensure a sufficient number of qualified mediators are available for member services.