April 29th, 2015

Potential job action by elementary teachers province-wide

The purpose of this letter is to update Waterloo Region District School Board (WRDSB) families on the status of labour negotiations with elementary teachers.

At the provincial/central bargaining table, the Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario (ETFO) filed for conciliation and made the request for a No-Board Report. On April 24, 2015, ETFO announced that they are in receipt of a No-Board Report. As such, elementary teachers across the province are in a legal strike position as of May 10, 2015. This may include any labour action or withdrawal of service, up to and including a strike.

Please note that this does not mean a strike will happen in WRDSB elementary schools as of May 10.

As per the Ontario Labour Relations Act, five days’ notice must be given before any strike action can be taken. We are committed to keeping you informed and will communicate with you immediately, if and when we become aware that strike notice has been provided at the provincial/central bargaining table. Please note that should a strike occur, all WRDSB elementary schools (kindergarten to Grade 8) would be closed to students. 

We understand that the potential for labour disruption can create anxiety for our students, parents and staff. We want to assure you that we will be communicating regularly with parents and students to ensure that you have as much information as possible, so that you can make informed decisions and undertake any contingency planning.

If you have questions, or want to know what is happening in Waterloo Region District School Board schools related to negotiations:

  • Look for updates on social media – Follow @wrdsb on Twitter
  • Visit the Waterloo Region District School Board website at www.wrdsb.ca/labour
  • Visit your local WRDSB elementary school website

Our priority during any labour disruption is the safety and well-being of our students. We will continue to monitor the situation and its impact on Waterloo Region District School Board students. We are committed to keeping you informed and will update www.wrdsb.ca/labour and communicate with you directly, as the situation changes.

John Bryant
Director of Education

Kathleen Woodcock
Chair of the Board

Categories: Broadcast-Elementary · Labour · Parents/Guardians/Community