OSSTF/FEESO Rainbow Members Send Strong Message With Strike Vote

SUDBURY, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - Sept. 27, 2012) - Members from four Bargaining Units of the Ontario Secondary School Teachers' Federation (OSSTF/FEESO) District 3, Rainbow have voted in favour of a strike mandate at meetings held this week.

The District 3 Teacher Bargaining Unit (TBU) voted 97% in favour of a strike mandate, while the Occasional Teacher Bargaining Unit (OTBU) voted 94% in favour. Members of the Professional Student Services Personnel (PSSP) also voted with a 94% vote. The Educational Support Staff Unit (ESSU) voted with 83% voting in favour.

The current collective agreements between these employees and the Rainbow District School Board expired August 31, 2012 and the taking of a strike vote is a normal part of the legal process recognized by the Ontario Labour Relations Act.

James Clyke, District and TBU President, Ron Lewis, President of the OTBU, Celia Wiley PSSP President, and Dale Stansfield, President of ESSU echoed the message sent by this overwhelming vote. "Members have joined, in solidarity, the ranks of those who are committed to standing up and fighting for our future as educators and professionals in Ontario by telling the provincial government that we won't back down. We won't be bullied. We won't accept it for education workers today, and we won't accept it in the future for any public sector worker."

Paul Elliott, provincial Vice President of the OSSTF/FEESO said that, "The overwhelming support of these members in favour of a strike is a clear illustration of the anger OSSTF/FEESO members feel at being stripped of their right to bargain."

OSSTF/FEESO, founded in 1919, has 60,000 members across Ontario. They include public high school teachers, occasional teachers, educational assistants, continuing education teachers and instructors, early childhood educators, psychologists, secretaries, speech-language pathologists, social workers, plant support personnel, university support staff, and many others in education.