Negotiation News October 15, 2008

October 15, 2008

Provincial Responsibility for Negotiations

In an effort to indicate an escalated level of intensity and to increase the pressure on Boards of Education to make progress at bargaining tables across the province, OSSTF Provincial Council confirmed at its September 26, 2008 meeting that all Teacher and Occasional Teacher Bargaining Units were to be placed in Provincial Responsibility for Negotiations (PRN). Provincial Responsibility for Negotiations provides direct assistance from the Provincial Office to local bargaining units. As part of PRN, a PRN Team chairperson in the form of a Provincial Executive member and a provincial negotiator in the form of an Executive Assistant from the provincial Protective Services Department have been assigned to work with the local negotiating team. In District 16, we are joined by Harvey Bischof and Peter Tumey. Their addition to our local team has necessitated a change in our team.

The Provincial Responsibility for Negotiations Team is now as follows:

Chairperson- Harvey Bischof (Provincial Executive)
Chief Negotiator - Peter Tumey (Provincial Executive Assistant)
Remainder of the Team -
Stephen Bloom (District Chief Negotiator)
Colleen Ireland (District President)
Gerry Harrison (District Executive Officer)
Sandy Glassford (District 2nd Negotiator)
Delfina Traxler (District 1st VP)
Wayne Milliner (District Ed. Services Chair)

We would like to thank Julia McCrea (Thornlea) and Eva Roy-Richards (OT Rep) for all of their fine work in both the preparation of the brief and at the negotiations table.

As was stated in the most recent Staff Room Rap (October 6, 2008) in reference to all of the bargaining units currently at the negotiating table, "our bargaining teams' positions are fair and reasonable and our demands are there to support our individual teachers and occasional teachers in their daily work." We currently have two more negotiations dates scheduled for October and four more in November. As always, we will continue to work on your behalf and we look forward to your continued support in the months ahead.

PRN Chairperson: Harvey Bischof PRN Chief Negotiator: Peter Tumey
District 16 Team Members: Stephen Bloom, Colleen Ireland, Gerry Harrison, Sandy Glassford, Delfina Traxler, Wayne Milliner