President’s Message
Dear Sisters and Brothers,
Another school year has come and gone. I have found that this past school year has went by faster
than prior years; so much has happened since this time last year.
You might remember that it was a year ago this month that we served notice to bargain. This round of
bargaining, the Executive decided to do concurrent bargaining which differed from prior rounds of bargaining. Our motivation was to be at the bargaining table at the same time as the OSBCU with the
hopes of expediting negotiations so that we weren’t at the bargaining table late into the 2023 school
year. It was close, but we accomplished that. A job well done by all!
When we started Local bargaining, we were not able to agree to Ground Rules with DDSB and only
minor Ground Rules with the DCDSB. It was evident that both the DDSB and the DCDSB were not
interested in having fair, respectful negotiations. We were only at the bargaining table for a short
time and I saw the writing on the wall. I approached all 8 bargaining units and suggested that we file
for Conciliation; all 8 units filed for Conciliation. We were committed to continue bargaining with both
Employers while we waited for the conciliators’ schedules to open up. Once again, it didn’t take long
and we were requesting a No Board Report. A request for a No Board Report starts the countdown to
put us in a legal position to take job action. During this time, the OSBCU was at the bargaining table
with the CTA and the Crown trying to achieve a Central tentative agreement. Negotiations were not
going well there, to the point of organizing to go on a province wide strike. That is when the Ford
Government brought in Bill 28 thus taking away our right to strike. Well we all know how that ended.
After many long days and heated discussions with the Employers, we were able to achieve 8 tentative
agreements. Now, I understand that not all proposals were agreed to but please try to recognize that
your bargaining committees prioritize given what was left on the table and the timing. I would
personally like to commend all 8 bargaining teams and the membership. We would not have been
able to achieve half of what we did if it wasn’t for every single member that got engaged.
At the time of the creation of this report, the DDSB Trustees have ratified the tentative settlement
and the DCDSB Trustees are expected to consider a motion to ratify at their next scheduled meeting of
Trustees on June 19 th . We will endeavor to have all revised Collective Agreements on our CUPE Local
218 website as soon as possible.
As per the Central Agreement, once the Trustees have ratified the Local tentative agreements any
compensation items that are retroactive shall be paid no later than thirty (30) days following
ratification. We took the opportunity prior to signing the Local tentative settlement to make
arrangements with both Employers for ten (10) month employees. If either Employer is not able to
provide retroactive pay on the last pay in June it will be on the first pay in September. All twelve (12)
month employees will receive retroactive pay within the thirty (30) days.
You have probably seen by now that we have started to roll-out the Local’s Mental Health and
Violence campaign. We are committed to bringing awareness and making changes for the better. It is
my understanding that we were the only Local across the Province that was able to achieve wording
within our Collective Agreement with respect to violence. You have my commitment to utilize all
resources that are available to have better support for members when struggling with mental health
and to work proactively to make working environments safe for members.
Another item that warrants mention is Article C-14.00. This article speaks to market value wages. Each
individual committee will review all Job Classifications within their unit to see if wage adjustments
can be made. We will also be actively reviewing workloads and student supervision.
Although we are heading into the school summer break, you can be assured that all units will be
operating the same as any other time of the year.
I would like to end my report by thanking all members and committees for an amazing job and for
your support.
My congratulations to retirees, and my heartfelt condolences to all that have lost a loved one.
In Solidarity
Dennis Gibbs
President
CUPE Local 218
Vice President
It has certainly been another challenging year in the Education sector. As I write this, we only have 4 weeks left until the start of summer. As many of you are aware we have reached tentative agreements in all 8 units. It was very challenging, but in the end we were able to agree to what we feel is a successful collective agreement for all bargaining units.
As the warmer weather approaches, please take the time you need to rejuvenate yourself and enjoy some time with family and friends. Our hope is that in September we will have moved forward with our violence campaign and are working with our Health and safety reps to have check in with our EA units regarding reporting incidents, the increase in violence and workload. We also plan on reaching out to the other chairs to see what check in’s would look like in their unit.
This year we started tracking staff shortages as this has been a big concern brought forward from you. The increase in workload in general and also when our colleagues are off and the employer is not able to find a replacement. In some circumstances members are feeling their Health and Safety is at risk due to not enough supports in the buildings.
Both the DCDSB and the DDSB have FEAP programs. If you or someone in your family needs supports there should be information shared at each school location. If that information is not there, then please reach out to the CUPE office and we will send the information to your school to put on your CUPE board. I would like to end by once again thanking each and every one of you. It was a fight this round of bargaining. Your bargaining teams would not have been as successful without feeling the support they had in the membership. We heard from many of you supporting us when we were at the bargaining table and on Wednesday by wearing your purple.
Member engagement is imperative.
It was a great turnout for the BBQ and the social committee has some great events planned for the
future,
Hope each and every one of you enjoy some time off this summer to rest and reflect.
Thank you again for you continuous support.
Carrie Boisvert
Carrie.boisvert@cupe218.ca
Disability Management
Dear Sisters and Brothers,
As I write this, the school year is coming to an end. Many of you have reached out to the CUPE office regarding feeling burnt out both physically and mentally. Please ensure that you are taking the self-care time you need. Often the stress and demand not only affects our work life, but it can also affect our personal life. It is important that we take care of ourselves both physically and mentally. Please access the EAP program that is available for both the DDSB and the DCDSB.
As in all my reports, please continue to report any workplace injury to your supervisor, as well as notifying one of our disability team members at the CUPE office. The sooner we are aware of an injury, the better equipped we will be in answering any questions or concerns you may have and to go over any forms that need to be completed to help support your claim. We cannot stress enough the importance of filling out all the paperwork that is required and to also forward everything over to the CUPE office to assist you during this difficult process. When the CUPE office receives a Notification of Occurrence regarding an injury in the workplace, you will receive a letter with a summary of the forms and the procedure that occurs. We understand that it may be a difficult time, but for us to support and ensure you have a safe return to work, we need to have all the documentations you have submitted to the Board office. It is all confidential and only members of the Disability Team have access to it. Any paperwork that is completed due to a workplace injury is covered by WSIB and you do not need to pay.
When you are off sick, you are required to submit a medical certificate after 5 days absent.
Any medical for the DCDSB is the be submitted to confidential.medical@dcdsb.ca and office@cupe218.ca
The DCDSB pays for any medical, up to $45.00. All receipts should be emailed to confidential.medical@dcdsb.ca and office@cupe218.ca. It does take about a month to be reimbursed for medical. If you have not received it, please reach out to christie.morissette@dcdsb.ca and carrie.boisvert@cupe218.ca
Any medical for the DDSB is to be submitted to shortterm.absence@ddsb.ca and office@cupe218.ca
Please note that IF YOUR HEALTH CARE PROVIDER FEELS THAT YOU ARE UNABLE TO RETURN TO WORK, THEY DO NOT NEED TO COMPLETE THE LIMITATIONS AND RESTRICTIONS CHECK LIST. THAT IS ONLY TO BE COMPLETED IF YOU ARE RETURNING WITH RESTRICTIONS.
If you have any questions around the process, please feel free to reach out to me by email or contact the CUPE office.
WSIB and Covid
If you believe you may have been exposed to COVID-19 while at work, but you are not ill and/or are not currently presenting symptoms of COVID-19, you should complete a Worker’s Exposure Incident Form and fax it to the WSIB at: 1-888-313-7373 AND report this to your Principal.
If you are presenting symptoms of, and/or have been diagnosed with COVID-19, which you believe to be contracted at work, you should complete the above form, notify the Board in the usual manner and seek medical advice immediately. Be sure to document for your records the date of your doctor or hospital visit. COVID-19 exists in the broader community, which creates challenges in establishing the link between your workplace and contracting the virus. For a COVID-19 claim to be allowed, evidence must show that a worker’s risk of contracting the virus through their employment is greater than the risk to which the public at large is exposed, and that your work and/or workplace significantly contributed to the illness. You must also fill out a WSIB form 6, inform your Principal of this and send the completed form to DCDSB at confidential.medical@dcdsb.ca or shortterm.absence@ddsb.ca at DDSB.
The Exposure form can be accessed through the WSIB website or the CUPE 218 website.
You can also contact the CUPE office if you cannot access online.
If you have any questions or need assistance, please feel free to call the CUPE Office, we would be more than happy to assist you. The Committee members can be reached through the CUPE Office: 905-571-7879 or Toll free 1-888-571-0218 Fax 905-571-4102
We hope that each and every one of you have a well-deserved summer, with some rest and time off that you all so rightfully deserve.
Carrie Boisvert- carrie.boisvert@cupe218.ca
Disability Management Coordinator
Stephanie Dezsi- Stephanie.dezsi@cupe218.ca
John Allan- john.allan@cupe218.ca
Public Board OCT
Hello Brothers and Sisters. It’s that time of year again where we look forward to longer days and plenty of sunshine. There isn’t a better way to start the season than to know that we have a contract that has been ratified by our members and board Trustees. We have made a few amazing gains. It is important that when the document has been proofed and signed that everyone become familial with Your Collective Agreement. It is the responsibility of each of us to take advantage of what it offers as well as to be apprised of our rights and responsibilities as workers. If enough people are interested, we may even be able to set up online meetings to go over any questions that may arise from your perusal of the CA.
Your Bargaining Team:
Allison Petty – Secondary Rep – Allison.petty@cupe218.ca
Leanne Finlay – Elementary Rep – Leanne.finlay@cupe218.ca
Antony Nembhard – Ed Centre Rep
Antony Nembhard – OCT Chair – Antony.nembhard@cupe218
I know there are lots of questions about Retro Pay. There is still a process to follow before you receive it. However, be rest assured it is in the works.
Remember to complete your Offense Declaration. It is a simple process. Do it before you leave on break as there will be much to do on your return.
Did you know?
According to some, the five most common summertime injuries are:
- Plantar Fasciitis
- Shin Splints
- Ankle sprains
- Tennis Elbow
- Back Strain
These probably stem from the extra activity some of us will be involved in over the next few months. Whatever it is your doing, please remember to stretch, stretch and stretch some more as a preventative measure to avoid these disruptions of life.
On behalf of the OCT Bargaining Unit, have an amazing summer break! Relax, Rest and Return Rejuvenated!
Kindest Regards.
Antony Nembhard
DCDSB LINC/ESL JUNE 2023 NEWSLETTER
RATIFICATION:
GOOD NEWS! We bargained a tentative agreement on May 25 and ratified on May 29. Our scheduled bargaining date was May 29 with a conciliator, but it was forwarded to May 25 instead without the conciliator. All retroactive pay (the raise + the 2 days of political action) will be paid in September when we return to class so that it does not impact anyone’s EI payments over the summer break. The issues solved include: being on the SFE system so that instructors are no longer responsible for calling supply instructors to cover for them when they are sick; including in-laws regarding bereavement; paid prep time. It has taken months of stalling to finally ratify our second Collective Agreement.
OMERS:
Our member who has been fighting for their pension contributions since January of 2022 has still not received satisfactory resolutions. It has not been resolved and it has been over a year! CUPE continues to actively look into this. It could be that the Board is liable for the missed year of contributions due to their negligence.
TEMPORARY EMPLOYEE STATUS (Source: Indeed)
The information below answers questions brought forth by a member.
A temporary employee, or a temp, is a contracted professional who performs a job for only a short amount of time. An organization may hire a temp directly or employ them through a staffing agency. Temporary employment differs from other hired positions because of the shortened time frame. Sometimes, organizations use temporary employment as a trial position. For example, an organization might hire a temp who does an excellent job. The organization might offer this individual a contract. If the professional accepts the job offer, they then become an employee.
Here are some standard rules for temps:
- Defined contracts: An organization gives the temp a contract that defines their payment and length of employment with any other terms listed.
- Doesn’t exceed one year: The job lasts only one year for a temp. Longer employment treats the temp as a regular employee eligible to earn benefits.
- Exempt from benefits: Employers aren’t required to offer benefits to temps. Organizations can decide to provide benefits to temps if they choose.
- Eligible for Workers’ Compensation: Employers or staffing agencies provide temps with Workers’ Compensation, which provides the temp with salary protection and medical treatment if they get an occupational disease or work-related injury.
Temporary jobs can last up to one year. The amount of time likely varies depending on the hiring organization and employment type. Temp jobs can last for a short period, such as a few weeks. For example, an organization might require a temp to complete an assignment by the end of the month. When the temp completes the project, the temp finishes working for the organization and can find employment elsewhere.
The hours a temp works are determined by the employer. Typically, these hours align with the industry’s standard. For example, if a temp works in an office setting, they likely work regular hours. Conversely, some jobs require unique hours. For example, cleaning staff might work odd hours after other professionals vacate the premises. Freelancers, like writers, might have more flexibility. These professionals can complete the work when they want, as long as they adhere to deadlines. If a temp works over 40 hours a week, they typically receive overtime pay.
CUPE MEMBER IN GOOD STANDING Definition:
The information below answers a question brought forth by a member.
To fully participate in the union, you must be a member in good standing. Being a member in good standing gives you a say in how your union is run. Only members in good standing can attend and vote at union meetings, run for elected union positions, vote in union elections or serve as delegates to union events.
Click on the link below to find out more about what it means to be a Member in Good Standing:
Member (link)
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This is all for this report. Thank you.
In solidarity,
Your Bargaining Committee:
Tracy Gill (Chair), and Katherine Sanchez (Steward)
Public Board Continuing Education
Dear members,
Let the countdown to SUMMER begin!! By the time that you are reading this, we will be in our final weeks of the school year. Woo Hoo!! I would like to take this time to thank all of you for the incredible work that you do. Once again, you have gone over and above for our students, children, and families. You should be very proud of yourselves for making it through one of the most challenging and stressful years we have faced as education workers. Every one of you deserves some time to rest and relax with family, friends and of course a good book or two!
Bargaining- Your bargaining unit has reached a tentative settlement with the DDSB and will be holding an information session followed by a ratification vote on Monday, June 5th at 4:00pm.
This may have been my first round of bargaining, but I get the impression that this round has been one of the most challenging thus far. Our main objective throughout this process was to address your key priority items and to reach an agreement that is fair and respectful to our members. I would like to thank the committee for the hard work that they have put in over this lengthy period of bargaining. A huge thank you to our CUPE Executive and CUPE National Serving Rep for their guidance, support, and expertise in helping our unit reach an agreement. Well Done, Team!
Construction- The renovations on the east side of the building are underway. Administration has communicated that every effort will be made to keep us in the building until our last day, in the event that the construction becomes too loud and disruptive, we may need to transition to online. If this transition happens, every effort will be made to provide us with time to plan and prepare.
Labour Management-We had our last booked Labour Management meeting on May 25th – the agenda was full, we addressed items that were still outstanding from previous meetings this year. Job descriptions have been an ongoing request, apparently there is a gap in the system and as a result there is no timeline for when we will be provided with one. Sounds like staff should be aware of their job descriptions since they completed the job evaluation application and listed the major job duties.
End of School Year– The official end of our school year for LINC/ESL and CNC will be June 23rd. The last day for LBS is on June 22nd and the last day for ELT is June 15th. The way in which the employer and the school administration handled this extension was completely disrespectful to the members of this unit. Administration communicated that the last day was not discussed during the May meeting and that funding was never denied. As much as I understand that we lost a week in September and this is giving us back one paid week, there needed to be a little more consideration made when one message was delivered and then changed, just hours later.
Health & Safety– If you have any concerns about your health and safety at work, please first speak with your supervisor so that they are aware of the issue and have a chance to correct it. If that fails, please contact our Health and Safety rep Brandie Townsen at brandy.townson@cupe218.ca or Robin Fair at robin.fair@cupe218.ca
Friendly Reminder– As mentioned early this year, there is a seat available at the Health & Safety Table for our unit. Please consider becoming a member of this committee to have your say in ensuring a safe and secure work and workplace environment for everyone. Training and mentoring will be offered to the member that commits to this position. Contact Dennis Gibbs- dgibbs@cupe218.ca for more information.
EI – Please remember that the Union has nothing to do with EI and their process. If you have problems with your claim, you will have to reach out to Service Canada.
Staffing – Unfortunately timetabling and placement decisions for next year cannot be communicated with you until all the funding has been approved.
September Start –I know that we don’t want to think about September just yet, having said that, I feel that it is better to know what to expect. Administration has communicated that online registration will tentatively begin mid-summer. In person registration will be September 5th – 7th. An email will be sent to staff to see who would like to work these days. Sept. 8th is an all-staff PD Day and September 11th will be the first day of classes. LBS has a start date of September 18th. ELT has an expected start day of Oct. 18th.
Lastly, I would like to thank all the Con Ed members for their continued hard work throughout this school year and hopefully you will be able to enjoy some much-needed relaxation in the upcoming summer months.
As usual, please feel free to contact Darlene, Arisa, or Kristine for any union-related issues.
Kristine Brown- Chair – kristine.brown@cupe218.ca
Darlene Sasseville- darlene.sassville@cupe218.ca
Arisa Tierney- arisa.tierney@cupe218.ca
Catholic Board Facility Services
To All Facility Service Members,
Well, we are here at the end of a school year once again, it is amazing how fast the school year went again this year. We have been busy this year starting with the Central Bargaining and going on a 2-day political protest that we were successful in getting the government to drop Bill 28. We were able to get a lot of gains from the Central table even if we did not get the $3.25 raise that we were trying for. We stood together during that time, and I hope we will stand together for everything that we must fight for with our employer.
Bargaining Update:
I want to thank everyone for coming out on Friday, June 2/23 to find out what we were able to achieve at the bargaining table with an employer that was very difficult to deal with during this round of negotiations. The members that attend the ratification voted in favor to accept this deal; we heard your concerns and displeasure of how you are treated in the workplace. I hope that everyone understands that this employer does not respect the work that we do and now we need to do our part in keeping track of how we are treated. Please reach out to your union committee when things are happening in your workplace so we can reach out to management with these concerns.
Once the tentative deal has been voted on by the trustees and it passes, they have 30 days to send us our retro pay. The retro pay is from September 1/22,
Grievance update:
As much as the employer tells you that we are appreciated in the workplace, it is hard to believe when we have so many grievances filed right now. Here is our list of grievances that are in various steps currently.
- 3 Grievances for the Shipper/Receiver position.
- 1 Grievance for External permits this one is going to Arbitration.
- 1 Grievance for acting Chief
- 1 Grievance for the All-Purpose position
- 1 Grievance for Vacant Positions
- 1 Grievance for Duty to accommodate.
- 1 Grievance for Vacation time.
- 1 Grievance on Security Checks
- 1 Grievance for summer daycare coverage this is going to arbitration February 2024.
We have been trying to put the pressure on management to fill the vacant positions. The management has been active lately interviewing candidates to fill the floater roster and not to be below compliment. They finally posted the 2 vacant positions so hopefully those will be filled by the time this newsletter comes out.
Facility Service committee Update:
As a committee, we have divided up the areas by town or city. If you have any information or questions, please contact the committee member in your town or city your school is in.
Beth Davies – Oshawa
Dave Slater – Pickering
Greg Gillis – Ajax
Sean Hebert – Whitby, Brooklin, Port Perry, Uxbridge, Beaverton and Maintenance.
Health and Safety:
As the weather is getting warmer, please remember to stay hydrated and remember to take cool down breaks. During summer clean up remember to work smart and to get help if you need it to move things in the classroom. If you have any Health and Safety concerns at your location, please reach out to Sean Hebert at shebert@cupe218.ca.
We want to thank you for all your work during the school year and your support for the FS committee. We hope you have a great summer; we hope that you get some holiday time to spend away from the work place and spend time with family.
Sean Hebert – Chairperson Dave Slater – Bargaining Rep
Beth Davies – Bargaining Rep Greg Gillis – Steward
PB Custodial / Maintenance
Well we have come to our last newsletter before the summer break. Lots has happened since our last newsletter went out. Our unit had several days at the bargaining table, some good and some not so good, and at one particular meeting your bargaining team walked away from the table. But, I am happy to say that on May 18, after a long day at the table we reached a tentative deal with the board at 9:30 pm. On Tuesday May 30th 2023, we held a ratification vote and I’m very happy to say, that 96% of our members voted in favor of accepting the new Local Collective Agreement.
I would just like to thank your bargaining team, Robin Fair, Kevin Lamont and Dan Fusco that spent many hours working to get a fair negotiated agreement. A special thank you to Dan as this was his last time at the bargaining table and we wish him well.
As we enter the summer clean up time, please review your equipment for furniture moving, that it is all in good working order. Recent changes that came out of our Labour Management meetings was that if you’re in need of new equipment or repairs on your equipment you are to contact your custodial supervisor first. Other items that come out of Labour Management were Covid Cleaning protocols. On May 5th 2023, the World Health Organization General Director says that COVID-19 is now an established and ongoing health issue which no longer constitutes a public health emergency of international concern. We felt that Covid Cleaning Protocols should now be stopped as some boards are not doing it anymore and some locals are in discussions with their boards to cease the cleaning protocols. The DDSB stated that they have had talks with Durham Region Health and reviewing their own policy as well.
The Novalax program will be rolled out in our schools come this fall. The Lead Custodian will only be responsible for making sure it is located in the AED cabinet which needs to be checked on a monthly basis anyway. The kit has a shelf life of approximately 3 years and will be recorded and monitored by DDSB H&S.
Please remember that if you have the unfortunate experience of a work-related injury to please report it to your Supervisor and to Carrie Boisvert, our Disability Coordinator at the Union Office, Also, if you submit medical to the Employer, PLEASE make sure Carrie Boisvert receives a copy as well. No injury is too small to report.
Any issues with your CUPE email, please contact Sue Wilkinson at the Union Office 905-571-7879
On behalf of your Custodial Maintenance Committee, please have a safe and enjoyable summer with your families and remember to work safe.
In Solidarity,
John Allan Chairperson Bret Filion Ian Watt
Robin Fair Mike Nixon Jessica Fusco
Kevin Lamont Tyler Cameron Scott Freeburn
DCDSB EA Newsletter June 2023
Hi everyone! This is my last newsletter for this school year and oh what a year it has been. We
want to wish you a safe and healthy summer. Rest up and enjoy the weather.
We have had a couple of CAS investigations that we wrapped up early. Both principals were supportive as the accusations were erroneous and we were able to quickly resolve them. Both EAs were home with pay and I made them know that although it’s hard that this is a
process that the Board and CAS have to follow. If there are any incidences
involving students please document. Doing your incident reports when you are
physically or verbally violated are necessary as these reports help you if there are
accusations made.
Please be careful what you are posting on social media as the board has been
disciplining EAs who are writing negative comments about the board and they can.
Bussing/School Excursions
Please remember that if you are required to ride the bus to support a special needs student because of their behaviour, please request a cell phone. Each school has been provided a cell phone so that you can call for assistance if you need it. Walkie Talkies are out of range so are ineffective. This also includes class trips and excursions.
Lieu Time
A lot of you are going on class trips to support students and do not get your breaks. We have lieu time language in the CA so you can negotiate with your principal on when you want to take it.
Bargaining
We have finally ratified our new CA. This took place on Sunday, May 28th at Sinclair Secondary School. Thank you to all who showed up to vote for the agreement in and thank you to Jay our CUPE National Rep as well as our exec for all their support during this process. We already know that the board trustees have 30 days to ratify the new agreement, making it impossible to pay us our retroactivity by the end of June. Therefore, retro will not be paid until September so the payout does not affect our EI. We’ve been told it will be included in the first paycheque in September.
AD HOC
We had our last AD HOC committee meeting on Friday May 12th where we
reviewed the number of incidences, especially the highest 5 schools. I brought up
the concern that we had heard from EAs at DOC that their incident numbers are going up
and they weren’t on the list. This was due to a student who came in from out of
board after Christmas who is physically attacking the EAs. One of the coordinators stated that they had done a team and a safety plan with the previous school. I stated that perhaps
the safety plan needs an update and that the EAS in question should play a part in
creating the safety plan. They also reiterated that DCART was in place. I again
questioned if the EAS would have input into the plan. I am hoping that if I repeat
myself that this will catch on. Paula is trying to work on a plan where all EAs
including new ones will be trained in BMS.
Appraisals
We have met twice with a committee made up of the CUPE bargaining committee,
an elementary principal, a secondary vice-principal, the acting EA supervisor as
well as Paula Sorhaitz, Student Services superintendent. Through collaboration we have
successfully created a new appraisal form to be piloted at a couple of secondary,
and a couple of elementary in each FOS. We managed to get rid of the attendance
piece, as well as the participation piece. The rest of the EAS will not have
appraisals this year. I am still demanding that EAs shouldn’t have to be evaluated
every year as we are the only group in the board that this happens to.
Postings
We had our first meeting to set up postings on Friday, May 27, 2023. It is clear the
Board is not prepared as there are funding issues. In 2020 we had 304 FT
positions. The Board has hired a lot more so on record we now have 328 FT
positions. Superintendent of SS Paula Sorhaitz has been working on the budget hard
and now there is funding for 315. We have a few people retiring and Paula is
working at getting more funding. Please know that CUPE will make sure you all
remain FT. We have the OSBCU guaranteed FTE so the board is working hard at
maintaining those numbers. Because of the delay, postings won’t be coming out
until hopefully June 5th or June 6th, or perhaps even later. I want to add that the number of postings won’t be as much as previous years as the board did overhire in 2020 and 2021 so
there won’t be much movement. Seniority is Key! As of this writing the first or even the 2nd round of postings would’ve been out so hopefully it has all gone smoothly. We worked hard at this!
A message from Paula Sorhaitz – Superintendent of Student Services
To our very dear and valued Educational Assistants,
As we conclude another school year, (one filled with many challenges) I want to take this opportunity to tell you how integral you all are to the DCDSB. You contribute in innumerable ways to student achievement and well-being.
Knowing that the success of our school system depends on the talents and skills of many, I am extremely grateful for the tremendous contribution that you all have made, not only to the individual students with whom you work on a daily basis, but also for the sense of caring and community that you bring to our Catholic schools. Our students with special education needs are realizing their full potential because of your important work!
I wish you much peace, joy, relaxation and many blessings this summer.
Sincerely,
Paula
Employment Insurance
Just a reminder that you have to be actively be looking for work while you are on EI. I know it sounds ridiculous as it does to us, but I have had a few EAs get called in for an interview and a check of their job searches. Just sign up for the “Jobs online” program that EI provides for you. Send in resumes to online jobs such as Indeed. Have an updated resume so that if EI requests it, you can provide it!
As always if you need us, we are here for you, and can be reached at:
Maureen Cope – maureen.cope@cupe218.ca
Bargaining Chair, Catholic Board
Bargaining Committee
Kristina McClaren – Kristina.mclaren@cupe218.ca
Patrica Bosley – patricia.bosley@cupe218.ca
Steward
Anita Condron – anita.condron@cupe218.ca
EA PB Newsletter
SUMMER IS ALMOST HERE! This is the last newsletter for the 2022/23 school year and we would like to say thank you to each and every one of you for all that you do, our students are so lucky to have you! Please make sure you take time for yourselves and try to rest and relax.
Staffing- The surplus/transfer list placements have been completed and left over positions are out. The hope is that these positions will go through internal applicants and anything left over will be out to our casuals before the end of the year. They are ahead of schedule this year!
Bargaining- On Sunday May 28th our unit held a ratification vote, We had a great turn out and I am happy to let everyone know that we ratified a tentative collective agreement. The next step to the process is that the trustees now have to ratify it and once that is completed we will have a new collective agreement. If you were unable to attend the meeting and would like more information, please reach out to the office.
Reminder- Please make sure that you do not have hands on with students, we have had an increase in allegations which leads to a CAS investigation. I know we all have big hearts and we mean well by our actions, however sometimes other people may not see it that way. Keep your hands off of the students, unless absolutely necessary or the situation requires you to use proper BMS procedures.
Employment Insurance- It’s that time of year unfortunately and I just wanted to remind you all that you have to be willing, ready, and capable of working. This means you should also be looking for work, in the chance that EI reaches out to check your job search. This is silly because most places won’t hire for a short period of time but you want to make sure that you can support your report of willing, ready and capable. Just a reminder that the union has nothing to do with EI or the process, if you have problems with your claim you will have to reach out to Service Canada.
I would like to take the opportunity to congratulate Sister Brandy Townson on being the successful candidate for the position of Health & Safety. I know Brandy will do amazing, and will support and advocate for each and every one of you. She has the knowledge and experience to be extremely successful within this role! Thank you to all the applicants that sent in letters.
For those who have and those who will be retiring, we would like to say congratulations and please enjoy your well-deserved retirement.
We wish you an amazing summer with lots of sunshine and memories, please take time for you!
EA/Outdoor Education Committee
Stephanie Dezsi- EA/Outdoor Ed Chairperson
Sue Wilkinson
Jehan Bisnauth
Brandy Townson
Lori Richards
Kim Pollock
Jennifer Currie
EA Rep Chart
| School Area | Contact Person | Contact Info |
| ALL PICKERING SCHOOLSHealth & Safety | BRANDY TOWNSON(REP) | brandy.townson@cupe218.ca |
| ALL AJAX SCHOOLS | JEHAN BISNAUTH(REP) | jehan.bisnauth@cupe218.ca |
| WHITBY SCHOOLS (ANDERSON C.V.I- JACK MINER P.S) | JENNIFER CURRIE(STEWARD) | jennifer.currie@cupe218.ca |
| WHITBY SCHOOLS(JOHN DRYDEN P.S- WINCHESTER P.S) | LORI-ANN RICHARDS (STEWARD) | lrichards@cupe218.ca |
| OSHAWA SCHOOLS (ADELAIDE MCLAUGHLIN-JEANNE SAUVE P.S) | KIMBERLEY POLLOCK (STEWARD) | kimberley.pollock@cupe218.ca |
| ALL NORTHERN SCHOOLS & OSHAWA (KEDRON P.S- WOODCREST P.S) | SUE WILKINSON (REP)(CONTACT FOR CUPE EMAIL ADDRESS, BENEFITS AND OMERS) | swilkinson@cupe218.ca |
| SUPPLY EA’s, START TEAM, OUTDOOR ED | STEPHANIE DEZSI (CHAIRPERSON) | stephanie.dezsi@cupe218.ca |
Health and Safety EA PB
Summer is in sight! The end of the 2022/23 school year is almost here, we have almost made it!
Let me introduce myself to those that do not know me – I’m Brandy Townson, EAII with D.D.S.B. for over 22 years now! I have experience in both High schools and Elementary schools in small class and flex-base, currently working as part of the S.T.A.R.T. team. I am looking forward to working to support each and everyone of you in my new role as Health and Safety Rep.
For those of you that attended the ratification vote you would have heard about the sub-committee being put together for the upcoming school year to review the Violent Incident forms, our goal is to align the forms with the provincial requirements regarding coding and injuries.
I would like to thank each and every one of you that have completed your forms this year, as much as you feel it does nothing, it does. It allows us to be aware of situations that need to be brought forward to the board, it also is used when the board is looking at support, and PPE requests.
This unit has submitted over 2200 violent incident reports this school year. The committee reviews them and we reach out via email to provide support and see if we can help in anyway. If you aren’t hearing from a steward, please check to make sure that your admin has processed your reports in the online form portal and if they are completed please reach out to the office so we can make sure we received them or why someone hasn’t connected.
As the nicer weather is here, please still be mindful of your footwear, I know it is getting hot but I would hate for something to happen before break and you will be unable to enjoy your summer. Slips, trips, and falls still happen even with the warm weather.
Please make sure that if you are working with a student who has a BSP that you have actually seen and understand that plan before working with that student. If you currently are working with a student and you haven’t seen the BSP, go to admin and request to review it. THIS IS UNSAFE!
Please take time for self-care and relaxation, you all have been amazing for our students and I would like to wish you an amazing summer- you all deserve it!
DCDSB SCT
It has been a long road to June this year. We started off with the last of the COVID restrictions falling off in September and October and moved straight into our Days of Protest in November. It has been a year of ups and downs for all of us.
For the first time since I have been a member of CUPE 218 we took a stand and drew a line in the sand for the government and when they crossed it, we marched out together in solidarity with thousands of other education locals across the province.
We successfully got bill 28 repealed and negotiated a Central Collective agreement. It was not the agreement everyone wanted but it was a negotiated one. Although it took longer than any of us wanted, we were also able to conclude local bargaining this year and so we can go into the summer knowing that we have a contract and that we will be getting our wage increase on time come September 2023.
Some of the key highlights of our new local agreement include that Elementary Admin Assistants now have the option of a weeks’ vacation following the end of the school year, provided they can close the school year out first.
The collective agreement now specifies that your lunches and breaks are to be uninterrupted. There should not be any work being done during this, nor should students be left in the office for you to watch and or supervise.
On that note although we were unable to get stronger language around supervision for our members, we did have many discussions with the board around this. They acknowledged that Supervision is not a core job duty of ours and they we should not be asked to supervise students as a regular part of our job. There should not be kids sent down from classrooms, or serving detention or in school suspensions that are left in our care. There should be a member of administration or a teacher in charge in the office if students are in there. If you are encountering school admins that are not following this practise, make sure you send your principal a polite email including myself, or Sandra, or Jennifer advising them that students were left in the office without any school admin or a teacher in charge and that is not part of your job description and that in future please ensure that an administrator will be present when students are or that students are sent back to class before they leave. The exception to this would be a self-evident emergency. This does not include the school admin stepping out for a coffee break.
HR has committed to also reiterating this to the school principals in their meetings. So, they are aware of it and that you are also aware of this. We have had a few successes with addressing this via email rather than verbal conversations with the school administrators.
For the IT department we were able to get them to agree to keep Work from Home options until at least the end of June 2024 where it may be reviewed again at that time.
There are other changes as well so please make sure you review the CA once the board has ratified the document and we have a copy. We obviously have many items that we would like to continue to work on next round. If you have ideas that we did not get done this time around, please ensure that you fill out the bargaining priorities survey prior to the next round in… 2026.
If you are away and are not being replaced when you should be, please reach out to the union and let us know. The board does not tell us when they do not fill absences. We only know when the membership informs us. We would like to try to get a handle on how often this is happening, and we need members to keep us informed.
If you have a friend or family member that applied to the board and did not get a callback or interview, please let us know who and if we can use name to ask HR about it as they are always complaining about the difficulties in hiring people.
If you are interested in posting to a position, please apply when the position is posted internally. Once a posting is external the board has no obligation to existing CUPE members.
If you have any questions or concerns about your health and safety at work, please first speak with your supervisor so that they are aware of the issue and have a chance to correct it. If that fails, please contact our SCT Health and Safety rep Alyssa King at alyssa.king@cupe218.ca. You can also contact me as well or call and leave a message at the CUPE 218 Office @ 905-571-7879.
If injured on the job, please make sure you report it right away to your principal and/or Supervisor. Make sure all paperwork and a Safe Schools report is completed and copies are made for your own files. Please also let the Union Office (office@cupe218.ca) know that an incident has occurred and any updates following. We are here to assist you when required, however we can only do that when we are informed.
The board has recently re-introduced attendance management. Please read their numbered memo if you have questions about this effort they are undertaking. The unions position is that you have 11 sick days and 120 days of short-term disability leave per year. If the employer calls you into any attendance management meeting, or any other disciplinary meeting please contact the union to join you. Make sure to tell the employer that you are requesting a union representative to be present. If you are asked for a doctor’s note that you must pay for, please make sure you submit your receipt to Christie Morissette at the DCDSB as these are covered up to $45.00.
If you need assistance getting access to your CUPE 218 email and account, please contact Sue Wilkinson at the CUPE office via email swilkinson@cupe218.ca
We have already had our final General Membership meeting of the year, so I look forward to seeing you all again in the fall.
| Mike MorrisChairpersonmmorris@cupe218.ca | Sandra Ribeiro-DantasBargaining Committeesandra.dantas@cupe218.ca | Jennifer Del GattoBargaining Committeejennifer.delgatto@cupe218.ca |
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