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"WEEKEND STAR" FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2001 - Minister, union head protest move [Have you checked | your Insurance They say trustees should be in on labour negotiations By Rik Davie Weekend Star The provincial Minister of Education and the head of the public secondary school teachers union in Durham Region have been at odds for over several years; but both agree Scugog trustee Martin Demmers' effort to remove public school trustees from collective bargaining is mis- guided. The newly-elected Scugog rep at the Durham District School Board has put forth a motion which, if passed by the full board next Monday, will see trustees no longer play a role in bargaining with employee groups. A tight 6- 5 vote passed the motion at standing committee with all trustees present almost two weeks ago. Shelly Page, president of District 13 of the Ontario Secondary School Teachers Federation (OSSTF) in Durham, said the move rep- resents an abandonment of the bargaining process to board administrators. "It is a total relinquishing of their (trustees') autono- my," Ms Page said. "What lit- tle autonomy they once had will now be gone." Ms Page said she's puz- zled by new trustees who seem willing to give up a part of their job description which has traditionally been a trustee's role. "I have to wonder what (Mr. Demmers') con- stituents would have thought if they knew it was his intent to give up the role of bargaining," she said. The heads of the ele- mentary teachers and sup- port workers unions voiced their desire to have trustees remain on bargaining com- mittees in a report given to the board before the vote. As well, Uxbridge-Brock trustee Nancy Loraine, vice- chair of the board, was vocal in her opposition to the move. Mr. Demmers, elected last November, contends that trustees juggling full- time jobs and other board responsibilities for $5,000 a year don't have time to take part in negotiations with employees. He cited exam- ples of boards elsewhere in Sunderland Maple Syrup Festival begins March 31 "Mark March 31 and April 1 on your calendar. That's the weekend of the sixth Annual Sunderland Maple Syrup Festival. Family fun includes tours to three sugar bush- es and a sheep dairy farm, all day pancakes, a pan- cake eating contest, street vendors, a quilt show, an art and craft show, a kids' colouring contest and a kids' art show, a midway, face painting, entertain- ment on the outdoor stage, a talent competi- tion, bed races, a raffle, and an outdoor church ser- vice. This year's special guests will be animal talent contest. There are friends from the categories for adults and Bowmanville Zoo. Prizes to be won include getaways at the the province which have Comfort Inn and the" Travelodge, an overnight stay at Dreamweaver Bed. and Breakfast, passes to the Bowmanville Zoo and Pleasure Valley, dinners at the Great Blue Heron Casino, Walter Campbell's new Sugar Shack fine art print, a camera from Rush Photo and a gift certificate for Flinks restaurant. The Friday night kick- off party hosted by the Sunderland Lions Club will feature the Fab Four, who perform the popular hits of the Beatles. Call Marion Bagshaw at 705-228-8336 to enter the children, fabulous prizes, and this event will be host- ed by actor Neil Crone. re @ SETA CO WEN GO SEND § TEEN CO GUNG ¢ WEED 0 GEES © ERED 0 TEAR 6 Sw ReaD Us ON PAPER Reap Us ON Toe WEB i LAR OR] removed trustees from the negotiation process in putting forth the motion that 'was endorsed at the com- mittee meeting. Ms Page believes the government is working toward creating a system of province-wide collective bargaining for teachers, a move she says is made eas- ier by the trustees voluntar- ily surrendering their role on bargaining committees. "l have always believed that is where this govemn- ment was going," she said. Meanwhile, Education Minister Janet Ecker has weighed in with her opinion; and she too is opposed to the board motion. "I think that trustees have played a very impor- tant role in negotiations," Mrs. Ecker told The Star. "I don't think it is appropriate for trustees to remove themselves of anything they think the government might do. And the minister said province wide contract negotiations would be just one of many options looked at. "If changes are made (to collective bargaining) they will be based on the views of our educational part- ners," said Mrs. Ecker. "I've always tried to be very clear on the direction this govemn- ment will take. Parents, stu- dents and teachers have been very clear to us that the present method has caused some disruptions." Mrs. Ecker said no deci- sion has been made that would warrant trustees pulling out of collective bar- gaining. = "We are simply asking the question, is there a bet- ter way (to negotiate teach- ers' contracts)?" she said. "The answer to that ques- tion may be yes; the answer may be no." Sall tode - wHeRes REPRESENTING: REE q INSURANCE BROKERS LTD. Friendly, Personal Service FARMERS' MuTuAL INSURANCE Co. (LINDSAY) Farm-Home-Auto-Commercial-Watercraft-Cottages E-mail your information: editorial@portperrystar.com SHION FABRIC DIST ISINREDIE LOTS 600 Grane OF FREE PARKING STORE HOURS Mon. - Fri. 9to 9 ., Oshawa (905 J 36-7589 Sat. 9to 6 vood Pl: Vaz) Whitby CUR IVAE EY. Sun 12 to YOUR #1 SOURCE ( TABRICLAND FOR LOCAL INFORMATION Reo ce ats et ans a A ¢ ¢ Sn 4 ¢ 4 LL AR ER JR RAE AE KA AA JJ pa | view St. S ) 'ad i {1 pu aA x 1801 Dundas St. E.. 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