Board and ETFO ratify four-year collective agreements

Rainbow District School Board and the Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario (ETFO) Rainbow Teacher Local and the Rainbow Occasional Teacher Local have new collective agreements. ETFO represents 600 elementary teachers and 400 occasional teachers in Sudbury, Espanola and Manitoulin.

Regular elementary teachers ratified their new contract on Wednesday, May 6, 2009. The contract for occasional teachers was ratified on Friday, May 8th, 2009. Trustees approved both agreements at a special Board meeting on Monday, April 27th, 2009.

The four-year deals will foster ongoing peace and stability in Rainbow Schools. “This is good news for students and parents in the communities that we serve,” said Board Negotiating Committee Chair Dena Morrison. She added: “Rainbow District School Board values the contribution of its regular and occasional elementary teachers and thanks ETFO for working together to achieve this successful outcome.”

The agreements are in effect from September 1st, 2008 to August 31st, 2012. For regular elementary teachers, the deal provides a 10.4% salary increase over the next four years as well as an additional 40 minutes per week of preparation time per teacher.

Pat Gordon, President of the ETFO Rainbow Teacher Local said: “This agreement means improved working conditions for teachers and better learning opportunities for students in Rainbow Schools.”

“Rainbow occasional teachers are fully qualified teachers certified by the College of Teachers,” said Lynda Eldridge, President, ETFO Rainbow Occasional Teacher Local. “This four-year agreement recognizes the experience and the qualifications that occasional teachers bring to the classroom.”

With the ETFO settlements now ratified, Rainbow District School Board has concluded collective agreements with all of its employee groups.

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Media Contacts:

Nicole Charette, Senior Advisor, Corporate Communications and
Strategic Planning, Rainbow District School Board, 705-674-3171, ext. 7217.

Pat Gordon, President, ETFO Rainbow Teacher Local, 705-522-8320.

Lynda Eldridge, President, ETFO Rainbow Occasional Teacher Local, 522-5625.