Ontario teachers? union head says bargaining rights under attack

Wendy Gillis Staff Reporter

The president of the Ontario Secondary School Teachers? Federation spoke at the union?s general meeting in Toronto Saturday, decrying ?blatant and unprovoked? attacks on collective bargaining and union rights.

Days after Ontario?s teachers unions asked for an emergency meeting with Premier Dalton McGuinty ? after he called for a wage freeze and an end to payouts for unused sick days ? Ken Coran blasted McGuinty at the gathering.

Saying recent successes, such as an increase in the number of high school graduates, were testament to a respectful partnership with the government, Coran suggested McGuinty ? ?a politician who crowned himself ?the education premier? ? ? was now backing away from that partnership.

Except for the Elementary Teachers? Federation of Ontario, all teacher unions are in talks with the province on wages and other big-ticket items. The Liberal government had hoped to wrap up negotiations by mid-month, much faster than in the past.

The unions recently wrote to McGuinty, saying they want to talk about the process and timelines of the provincial-level talks. On Saturday, Coran re-emphasized the importance of ?protecting the integrity? of the collective bargaining process.

He also spoke in support of the British Columbia Teachers? Federation, whose members recently went on a controversial three-day strike.

?They too are facing unprecedented attacks on their collective bargaining rights,? Coran said.

Source: http://www.thestar.com/news/ontario/article/1144405--ontario-teachers-union-head-says-bargaining-rights-under-attack

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