Members represented by the Elementary Teachers Federation of Ontario (ETFO) voted 90 per cent in favour of accepting a central agreement struck between the Ontario Public School Boards’ Association (OPSBA) and the provincial government.
The online voting process opened to Ontario's 80,000 teachers and occasional public elementary teachers on December 11 and closed Friday night.
ETFO said the term of the four-year central agreement is from September 1, 2022, to August 31, 2026.
However, OPSBA ratification is required for the agreement to take effect. A vote is scheduled to take place next week.
“While this round of bargaining was exceptionally lengthy and difficult, ETFO members stood firm in the face of cuts, pressed for improvements to working and learning conditions, and won,” said ETFO President Karen Brown in a media release. “This agreement is proof that the legal bargaining process works when it’s allowed to unfold as intended. I want to thank members for their strength, resistance and persistence.”
Some of the highlights detailed in the agreement include new and innovative measures to address violence in schools, the preservation of sick leave and short-term leave entitlements, and the preservation of the Support for Students Fund which supports about 432 elementary teaching positions.
Specific details about the agreement can be found on ETFO's website.
ETFO locals will now work with their respective school boards to negotiate local collective agreements.
Following ETFO's announcement Friday night, Ontario Education Minister Stephen Lecce issued a statement on social media.
"From day one, we have worked hard to ensure kids can stay in class learning without disruption, with a focus on getting back to the basics," said Lecce.
He also called on the Ontario English Catholic Teachers Association (OECTA) and the Association des enseignantes et des enseignants franco-ontariens to reach agreements as well.