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Teachers protest -- again Continued from page 1 3 · Wednesday, October 24, 2012 OAKVILLE BEAVER · www.insideHALTON.com Catholic elementary teachers rejected the memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed by the provincial OECTA negotiation team with a resounding no. OECTA's Halton Elementary Unit members voted 96 per cent against it. Speaking up on a podium, ETFO president Sam Hammond, who came out for the Halton rally, thanked the local OECTA members for standing up for their rights. "The next time (education minister) Laurel Broten says 55,000 teachers supported that MOU, here's your proof that's not the case," Hammond said. In fact, the Halton unit filed an Ontario Labour Relations Board complaint against the provincial OECTA association. "We feel that the whole MOU and MOU process is unconstitutional within OECTA in terms of our own handbook and bylaws. And in terms of Bill-115, it too is unconstitutional in terms of its grab on local agreements," said Richard Brock, president of OECTA's Halton Elementary Unit. He said there were three rounds of negotiations provincially, the first two being at the provincial discussion tables (PDT), each of which was ratified by the local membership. However, he the local membership and presidents were not consulted and never voted on the MOU before the agreement was signed. "They totally snatched away items out of our local agreements that we've bargained long and hard for," he said. Brock has been the local president for 25 years. "A number of items that were clearly removed from our local agreement were items that I personally and my members in general have fought very hard to get into our agreement and have nothing to do even with the government's initial PDT proposal back in February." ETFO's Hammond wasn't the only big gun to come to the local rally. The OSSTF had its vice president Harvey Bischof and executive officer Leslie Wolfe along with CUPE Ontario's secretary treasurer Candace Rennick at the rally, all of whom spoke to the gathering. Among them was also Toronto-Danforth MPP Peter Tabuns, the NDP's education critic. Hammond thanked the NDP for being the only party at Queen's Park to stand up and vote against Bill-115. "You know why we're here," Tabuns said to the gathering. "Because Dalton McGuinty has struck a blow against democracy and a blow against education in one bill, Bill 115." He told the gathering that teachers and education workers make the foundation of education. "If you treat those teachers and education workers with disrespect, if you trample on their rights, if you baselessly accuse them of selfishness, you poison the work environment, you create conflict that resonates in every living room and around every kitchen table around this province," he said. "I know that you will not roll over. I know that you will speak up and you will make sure that every Liberal and Conservative MPP that voted for Bill-115 knows that they voted for changing their own careers, one out of politics." The OSSTF's Leslie Wolfe said the Liberal government has continually said its legislation affects only teachers, when it really affects all support workers and the entire ERIC RIEHL / OAKVILLE BEAVER / @halton_photog education team. "Teachers and education workers will always stand up for signs of discontent: The Elementary Teachers Federation of Ontario the rights of workers in this province because our students (ETFO), Ontario Secondary School Teachers Federation (OSSTF), Catholic teachers, support staff and other union representatives protested for the second time this are the future workers of this province," Wolfe said. In his remarks, ETFO's Hammond told the gathering school year at Oakville MPP Kevin Flynn's office Monday. Here, Ian Henderson bears See Standing page 10 a placard showing teachers' discontent with the Liberal government's Bill 115. SIX MISTAKES RETIREES MAKE WITH THEIR FINANCES For investors over age 50 SEMINAR DATE Thurs, October 25th: 10 am, 2 pm, 7 pm FRI, October 26th: 10am LOCATION Oliver & Bonacini Restaurant Oakville Place (Trafalgar & QEW) MBA, CFP, R.F.P., CIM, FCSI Peter Watson Seats are FREE but Limited To reserve your seats email us at info@peterwatsoninvestments.com or call us at (905) 842-2100 Ext: 2 (24 hours) www.peterwatsoninvestments.com