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www.insideHALTON.com | OAKVILLE BEAVER | Friday, March 20, 2015 | 2 Public high school teachers could strike by end of April by Rachael Williams Metroland Media Group The Halton District School Board is facing a potential teachers' strike in April if contract negotiations are not advanced. An announcement was made over the weekend by Paul Elliot, president of the Ontario Secondary School Teachers' Federation (OSSTF), at an annual address to union members. Elliot named Halton as one of seven districts facing a "full withdrawal of services." OSSTF Vice-President Harvey Bischof said it's more about how long it has taken to set up meetings with the board than the issues themselves. "The movement has been exceptionally slow so we are increasing pressure to try and get the employer to sit down and talk with us," said Bischof. The Halton District School Board (HDSB) issued a statement Tuesday saying negotiations between the Province and unions, representing teachers and support staff, have been underway since the fall, as outlined in the School Boards Collective Bargaining Act, 2014. Bischof argued that although there have been ongoing negotiations with the Province, those decisions apply to all teachers and support staff and are not directly related to the concerns of HDSB employees. "Members are frustrated that we are even still at the central table and seemingly far from an agreement there too," he said. The roughly 2,000 teachers who are em- Tate, Grade 11. Current HSC and provincial rugby star, future surgeon and humanitarian. inside today's Editorial Sports Beaver www.insideHALTON.com ployed by the HDSB have been without a contract since August 2014. They are joined by teachers in Durham, Lakehead, OttawaCarleton, Peel, Rainbow and Waterloo districts. Meetings have been slated for March, throughout April and into May. "As a board we remain committed to reaching fair, negotiated agreements and avoiding any disruption to student learning," said HDSB Director of Education David Euale. But considering the contracts expired in August, Bischof said be believes the board should have demonstrated a greater willingness to sit with their employees to reach a suitable agreement. "We are over six months beyond the expiry of the collective agreement. If it took this long to even get to the table to negotiate, see Union on p.8 Hooper Pharmacy Real Estate New Homes Barbara Beers Real Estate Sherry Huang Hillfield Strathallan College is an independent day school for Montessori Toddler and Pre-Kindergarten to Grade 12. Join us for our Open House on Wednesday, April 1. Call 905-389-1367, or visit www.hsc.on.ca, for details. 6 24 Artscene Classified 21 28 *All flyers not necessarily delivered to all homes Create your dream Kitchen or Bathroom! 20 Y Exper ears ience For home delivery & customer service call 905-631-6095, 5300 Harvester Rd., Burlington New subscriptions call 905-631-6095 or subscribe online @ www.oakvillebeaver.com FREE INSTALLATION SOmE ExcEpTIONS, pLEASE vISIT ShOwROOm FOR dETAILS. OFFER ExpIRES mARch 31, 2015 333 Wyecroft Rd., Unit 3, Oakville 905.844.3332 Free Estimates Custom Inground Swimming Pools One Company. One Responsibility. Serving the Halton-Peel Region www.aromakitchens.ca 416-410-2066 · 905-319-7502