Teacher’s union says government violated bargaining rules over reading memo
The union representing elementary school teachers in Ontario has filed a complaint with the province’s labour relations board, accusing the government of failing to act in good faith by issuing new requirements related to reading screenings while bargaining is ongoing.
The Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario, which is in negotiations with the province over a new collective agreement, said the government violated its bargaining obligations over a memo it released on July 28.
The ETFO says the memo requiring elementary school teachers to conduct mandatory early reading screenings twice a year for students in year two of Kindergarten through Grade 2 violates good faith duties because early reading screening is a subject of central bargaining.
“This new policy does not signal for us meaningful discussions are going to happen and that it is clear that they’re not bargaining in good faith,” said ETFO president Karen Brown. “This is not the way.”
The union also says a statutory freeze is in effect, meaning the terms and conditions of the former collective agreement remain in full force.
ETFO notes the memo conflicts with the terms of that agreement because it ignores language that allows teachers to exercise their professional judgment when implementing reading screenings.