Teachers return to class under Bill 115

Students and teachers returned to the classroom on Monday, the first school day since the Ontario government imposed contracts on teachers using Bill 115, but they’re facing just as much uncertainty as before.

It’s unclear if all elementary and secondary teachers will continue their withdrawal from extracurricular activities.

Teachers have not been coaching teams or volunteering for clubs since negotiations stalled in the  fall, with teachers at the elementary level holding one-day rotating strikes.

The Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario (ETFO) is urging members not to take part in extracurricular activities, while the Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation (OSSTF) is leaving it up to the individual to decide.

Education Minister Laurel Broten imposed a two-year contract on 126,000 public school teachers on Jan. 3, after unions and the school boards failed to reach an agreement by the Dec 31 deadline.

The controversial contract includes a wage freeze, a reduction in sick days, cancels teachers’ ability to bank unused sick days and allows Broten to end any possible strike without recalling the legislature.

The province has agreements with its French and Catholic boards as well as school support workers.

The public school agreement is based on the negotiated settlement with the Ontario English Catholic Teachers Association (OECTA), and the province’s French teachers.

The government-imposed contracts expire in August 2014.

Public education unions claim Bill 115 violates their collective bargaining rights and they’ve filed court challenges.

Last month, the ETFO and OSSTF warned they’ll hold a one-day political protest if the government imposes a contract on their members. Specific details of that demonstration aren’t yet known. The OSSTF will meet Wednesday to decide on the next move.

The provincial government says Bill 115 will save Ontario $250 million in 2012-13, growing to a total of $540 million in 2013-14.

With files from Shawne McKeown