PSSP Bargaining Unit Newsletter:

Volume 4, Issue 4: April 18, 2006

President’s Message

Well, it is that time of year again when the end is in sight but it still seems so far away. I hope everyone has enjoyed and will enjoy the long weekends that remind us that summer is around the corner. Although the year has seemed long, I know you will have the stamina to continue to support Thames Valley Student in the caring, professional way you do.

OSSTF District 11 has assumed responsibility for the administration of the Support Staff Development Funds allocated to the Thames Valley District School Board for permanent members to the District 11 Professional Student Services Personnel Bargaining Unit during the 2004-2005 school year. Please ensure that all paperwork required before distribution of the funds can occur has been completed and faxed to District Office. Specific instructions will be outlined in the Memo and Application Form that you receive.

The District 11 PSSP Annual General Meeting will be held on Tuesday, May 30, 2006 at the District 11 Office, located at 680 Industrial Road in London. This will be an opportunity to showcase the recently renovated office. Please RSVP (the $15.00 deposit will be returned to you that evening) to your Job Class Representative by Monday, May 15, 2006. Nomination forms will be included as part of your invitation package. Elections will be held this year for the positions of President, Vice-President, Secretary-Treasurer and Grievance Officer. Please come and enjoy an evening of great food (catered by the Dawghouse) and camaraderie with your colleagues. To confirm your attendance at this event, please contact your job class representative.

In signing off, I hope each of you are well. Should you need any assistance, please do not hesitate to contact Nancy McDougall at District Office at 659-6588. Take care.

Sandra Miller
PSSP President.
District 11 OSSTF
Phone: 452-2954

Collective Bargaining Committee

To date we have had 6 meetings with the Board during which we have met 17 times face-to-face with the Board’s team. Approximately 60 hours have been logged by the seven members of our Table Team either in meetings with the Board or in Caucus sessions, totaling 420 person-hours spent working toward an improved Contract.....and we’re not there yet.

Currently we have three more dates confirmed to meet with the Board and with perseverance, dedication and maybe a little luck we hope to conclude negotiations “soon”. (Just please don’t ask me to define “soon”). Again I send out a HUGE thank-you to our Table Team. They are tireless, dogged and an invaluable resource to me and our provincial liaison, Nancianne Speare.

R. Craig Read,
Chief Negotiator

Outsourcing Update

The Provincial Executive and the District 11 Executive have both offered ongoing support throughout the last year to PSSP bargaining units around the issue of outsourcing and it is appreciated. This year at the Annual Meeting of the Provincial Assembly (AMPA), held the first weekend of March Break, the following motion was passed:

Be It Resolved That Policy 6.2.5 by amended by addition of the following motion:

6.2.5.5 It is the policy of OSSTF that partnerships with outside agencies in the educational system should only be used on a short term basis to complement the services of board employed PSSP and EA positions, and should only be agreed to when the following conditions have been met:

6.2.5.5.1 The partnership is governed by a formal written agreement of the parties including term of the partnership, services to be provided, liability and consent issues, communication protocol, work space and other terms and conditions appropriate for the specific project;

6.2.5.5.2 The partnership will not replace services and/or positions that are or could be performed by board employed Professional Student Services Personnel and/or Educational Assistant positions;

6.2.5.5.3 Qualifications of employees under the partnership must not be less than qualifications of board employees performing equivalent work.

Nancy McDougall
Federation Services Officer

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

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