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, both provincially and locally, supported the OPSEU Community College Academic staff--teachers, guidance counsellors and librarians--during their recent strike. The strike began on March 7 and continued until March 24 when both sides agreed to send outstanding items for resolution with voluntary binding arbitration.

The major issue, familiar to all teachers and education workers, was workload. As an OPSEU communication put it, "They are fighting for what every Ontario education worker wants: the ability to deliver quality education to the students in our system. After witnessing a decade of decline in our colleges, OPSEU members have decided to take a stand for smaller classes, more full-time faculty, and more faculty time with students."

Just prior to March Break, CEI President Barb O'Brien and Federation Services Officer Colleen Canon joined the striking Fanshawe OPSEU members on their picket line over lunch.

At the OSSTF Annual Meeting of the Provincial Assembly, Ted Montgomery, the Chair of the Negotiating Team, spoke to AMPA. Later, a collection was taken up among the delegates and over $3400 was raised for support of these striking education employees and presented to OPSEU President Leah Casselman who spoke at the President's DInner at AMPA.

On March 20, I attended a rally organized by the London & District Labour Council in support of the striking Fanshawe OPSEU members. Ken Coran, Vice-President of the provincial executive, was also in attendance and both of us delivered messages of support from the district and provincial offices respectively.

On March 23, several Federation Services Officers from the district office and OSSTF members from branches attended a rally (see photos above) at Fanshawe College. This was one rally among many held at the same time all over the province. Again, on behalf of District 11, I delivered a message of support to the OPSEU members.