13 · Friday, February 5, 2010 OAKVILLE BEAVER · www.oakvillebeaver.com Board staff in line for 3% wage hike Continued from page 1 ACROSS FROM RONA LANSING 905-337-2066 European Engineering Combined With Traditional Workmanship Please note: Prices do not include GST and PST. Includes installation. Snow tire packages are supplied by Volvo in conjunction with all applicable standards and guidelines as set by the manufacturer. Hub caps are $150 extra. Snow tires improve winter driving in cold or snowy conditions. Your summer tires last longer when snow tires are used. Commences Feb 1, 2010 and expires Mar 15, 2010. Valid only at Volvo of Oakville while supplies last. No rain-cheques. Tire storage offer good for one season (6 months). Please note: Prices do not include GST and PST. If you have been maintaining your vehicle in accordance with the manufacturer's guidelines, some of the above may not be necessary. Commences Feb 1, 2010 and expires Mar 15, 2010. Some restrictions may apply. 15% off applies to parts and labour, on repairs not already discounted or on sale. Tires excluded. "Building on the Brightest Ideas Around Glass" 905.849.0266 the provincial deficit and asks: "...in light of the Province's fiscal challenges, are there measures that could be taken to reduce expenditures or make the system more efficient and effective?" Elementary and secondary education funding is the second highest part of the provincial budget, accounting for about 14 per cent of all expenses. Health care accounts for 43 per cent of expenses. Van de Vrande said the board recognizes the fiscal reality the Province is in and will look for ways to find savings. But he doesn't expect the Province to freeze school board funding or not provide enough money to cover already negotiated wage settlements with board employees. "The government has been fair in funding what they negotiate," Van de Vrande said. "So they don't make a deal with the teachers and say (to boards), `Figure it out (how to pay for the wage hikes).'" The Halton Catholic District School Board has eight unions representing approximately 3,220 employees including teachers and support staff. In fall 2008, the board settled agreements running from Sept. 1, 2008 to Aug. 31, 2012 with all of those unions in line with a provincial framework agreement that called for annual three per cent wage hikes. Benefits were frozen until this September, when they will increase by $170 per full-time equivalent employee, according to a board spokesperson Lisa Stocco. "Each employee group will decide how to best apply this increase for their members," she stated. Following settlements with the unions, in December 2008, the board of trustees passed motions in camera to extend the same four-year, 12 per cent salary boost to all non-unionized employees at the board including senior managers, principals and vice-principals. Those 150 staff earn $15.9 million in combined salary plus benefits, according to the board. "In the interest of fairness, we don't think it's appropriate to treat those people differently," explained Van de Vrande. School board officials are currently waiting for the provincial budget to be released on Mar. 11. Based on that budget, the Ministry of Education will release, on Mar. 26, the amount it plans to provide to school boards. After that, Halton's Catholic board will begin preparing the next school year's budget in earnest. Staff estimate enrollment in the board's schools will increase 1.7 per cent during the next school year, far higher than the average 0.9 per cent increases that have taken place over the past three years. The board of trustees is scheduled to approve the budget June 15. School board employee groups Employee groups at the Halton Catholic District School Board (as of Jan. 29) HERITAGE Lifestyle Home Furnishings SINCE 1977 NON-UNIONIZED STAFF ·150 administrative staff, principals and vice principals UNIONIZED STAFF 1) APSSP (Association of Professional Student Services Personnel) -- 64 employees, includes speech and language pathologists, attendance counsellors, child and youth counsellors, psychometrists and psychologists, communicative disorders assistants, librarians and social workers 2) CUPE (Canadian Union of Public Employees) 2888 -- 162 employees, represents custodial and maintenance employees 3) CUPE (Canadian Union of Public Employees) 3166 -- 207 employees, represents clerical and technical office employees 4) CUPE (Canadian Union of Public Employees) 4605 -- 30 employees, represents ESL and LINC instructors 5) CUPE (Canadian Union of Public Employees) 5200 -- 471 employees, represents educational assistants 6) OECTA (Ontario English Catholic Teachers' Association) Elementary -- 1,039 employees, represents elementary school teachers 7) OECTA (Ontario English Catholic Teachers' Association) Secondary -- 628 employees, represents secondary school teachers 8) OECTA (Ontario English Catholic Teachers' Association) occasional Teachers -- 621 employees, represents occasional teachers W SA S ARE VI A HO NG S U L USE PT E O5 0% Don't Miss Out On This Great Opportunity To Save! 4205 Fairview Street, Burlington 905-634-5298 IT'S NOT TOO LATE "WINTER CHECK-UP" $ Charges for engine oil and filter are included. 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