New Amendments Would Increase Transparency, Consistency in Bargaining
Ontario is taking steps to strengthen its successful model for collective bargaining in the education sector by proposing changes that, if passed, would make it more flexible, transparent and consistent
Today, Education Minister Mitzie Hunter introduced several proposed amendments to the School Boards Collective Bargaining Act, 2014, including:
- Allowing collective agreements to be extended
- Giving students and parents more notice of labour disruptions
- Ensuring all education workers’ unions participate in central bargaining.
The proposed amendments have been informed by extensive consultations with bargaining partners and recommendations from the Auditor General. They reflect an ongoing commitment from all parties to continue to improve the collective bargaining process in Ontario’s education sector
Supporting positive labour relations in Ontario’s publicly funded education system is part of the government’s plan to create jobs, grow the economy and help people in their everyday lives
Quick Facts
- The School Boards Collective Bargaining Act is first-of-its-kind legislation and was informed by consultations with trustees’ associations, school board staff, teacher federations and education worker unions.
- The first collective agreements under the School Boards Collective Bargaining Act were reached in 2015. These agreements ensured students continued to benefit from one of the world’s best publicly funded education systems.
- Tentative agreements were recently reached between the province, trustees’ associations, and most of the teachers’ federations and education workers’ unions, to extend the current collective agreements for two more years.
- These tentative agreements are subject to the proposed amendments to the School Boards Collective Bargaining Act
Background Information
Quotes
“The School Boards Collective Bargaining Act is a ’made-in-Ontario’ approach to collective bargaining that was born out of collaboration with our partners. The proposed amendments continue that tradition, and would ensure that Ontario’s publicly funded education system remains among the strongest in the world.”
Mitzie Hunter – Minister of Education
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