Salary increases, end of hybrid learning among teachers’ union priorities in contract negotiations

The end of hybrid learning. smaller classes. More support for classrooms, especially as high school classes go offline. And salary increases that take into account the limited raises in his last contract, his one percent annual raise that was part of the provincial salary-cap legislation, and rising inflation.

These are some of the negotiating priorities for teachers’ unions as they negotiate with the government, and their support staff counterparts are already exchanging offers with provincial and school boards.

But the annual salary offer of 1.25 or 2% that the government presented on Monday to CUPE – which represents 55,000 support employees – is not enough, say the unions.

CUPE support staff earn an average of $39,000 a year, but that figure includes part-time workers.

“It’s interesting because with CUPE sitting at the table before us, we could take a look at the future with him,” said Karen Littlewood, president of the Ontario Federation of Secondary School Teachers.

“But (the salary offer) certainly does not reflect the words of the prime minister or the education minister, saying that we are going to be respectful and make sure that we are supporting public education. In reality, he is not showing any kind of respect to the lowest-paid workers who keep the education system going.”

He said “it’s nowhere near inflation or cost of living…does nothing to address rising gas, groceries, interest rates or anything else. So it’s very challenging.”

Full-time teachers earn an average of nearly $94,500. Younger teachers have continued to move up the pay scale based on education and years of experience, and overall salaries have been capped at one percent in the last contract.

Talks for all teachers’ unions are still in the early stages, but he expects offers to be submitted by mid-September.

All education union contracts expire at the end of August and it is unlikely that new ones will be negotiated by then.

“I’m optimistic; I’m not worried yet,” Littlewood added. “…There’s no rush. I don’t want anyone to think that August 31 is the end, we have to have something by then. In fact, what we have to do is be working with the parties at the table to make sure that we have the best possible support for the students of the province”.

Education Minister Stephen Lecce has said he wants a normal start to the school year, with extracurricular sports and clubs.

No labor action is currently in the works, and all unions have said members are free to organize after-school sports and clubs when classes resume in September.

In an interview with the Star, Ontario Federation of Elementary Teachers President Karen Brown said one concern is that casual teachers and those who work part-time don’t get benefits like sick days.

Full-time educational staff are entitled to 11 paid sick days and an additional 120 days of short-term disability at 90 percent of salary.

With COVID, the lack of benefits made occasional teachers feel vulnerable, Brown said.

Brown also said the government’s offer does not fairly reflect the good work union members have done over the past few years to deal with COVID.

But with talks underway, Brown said there will be no union directive against extracurricular activities, though some teachers may reevaluate their priorities on their own.

“Our members are excited to be back in person,” said Brown. “Some of our members will be making personal decisions… They may have to consider how they are going to participate.”

But, he added, “the majority, we think, are going to compromise.”

The province offers the lowest-paid CUPE workers, those earning less than $40,000, a two percent raise each year for four years, and a 1.25 percent raise for those earning more than $40,000. He also wants to change some short-term disability leave provisions, which are costly and which the boards have said lead to staffing challenges.

Lecce has said that the CUPE lawsuits alone would cost more than $4 billion over three years, and applied to other unions, since one contract influences another, they would cost more than $21 billion.

“What I ask is common sense,” Lecce told CP24. “I understand there are short-term inflationary pressures today that we know will subside over the course of this year, and certainly over the course of the contract. And so I just want us all to be grounded by an element of fiscal sustainability.

“We are not going to raise taxes, we are not going to cut services to pay for these things. We just want to come up with a reasonable offer.”

Enrollment in education has been steady, but more than 46,000 teachers and staff have been hired in the last 20 years.

CUPE workers average $46.69 per hour for all staff and $27.87 for permanent staff.

CUPE is also the first union to plan a meeting, scheduled for August 22, to discuss approving a strike vote.

SHARE: