Halton Board reaches deal with office, clerical and technical staff

A tentative settlement has been reached between the Halton District School Board and the Office, Clerical and Technical Unit (OCTU), represented by the Ontario Secondary Teachers Federation (OSSTF), Halton. This tentative deal between OCTU and the Halton District School Board will cover the 4-year time period of September 2008 to 2012.

Details of the settlement are to remain confidential and will not be released until ratification by both parties. The Halton District School Board will review the tentative agreement and vote at its Board meeting of November 19, 2008. The office clerical and technical staff will meet on November 13 to review the details of the tentative deal with members, and hold a ratification vote.

This year, the Province set out a different format for bargaining, establishing a Provincial Discussion Table (PDT) to come to agreement on broad contract issues. These PDT agreements are negotiated and signed by the provincial school boards’ association, and provincial union and teacher federations to deal with standard contract items funded by the province, such as salary increases, staffing levels and funding allowances. When those agreements are signed by all provincial union groups, they become part of the local school board contract, but don’t replace local contracts. Instead, the PDT agreements allow local bargaining to continue, addressing matters of a local nature or those that are unique to different school boards.

Unions and employee groups representing Halton’s support staff have signed the PDT agreement allowing local bargaining to continue for those support staff groups. This provided the foundation for negotiations with the Halton Office, Clerical and Technical Unit (OCTU), resulting in the tentative agreement reached this week.

“We are pleased to have come to a mutually beneficial agreement which will ultimately serve the needs of our system and our schools,” says Kelley Terry, Senior Manager, Human Resources, for the Halton District School Board. “To be able to reach this agreement within the parameters of the Provincial Discussion Table is of benefit to our employees, and the stability of our organization as we move forward for the term of this collective agreement.”

Debbie Majka, President of the Halton Office, Clerical and Technical Unit (OCTU), says, “We are pleased we were able to reach this agreement which we believe is within the guidelines set out by the province. We believe our members will see this agreement as one that addresses the majority of the priorities established for this round of bargaining.”

Halton’s Office, Clerical and Technical Unit represents more than 250 employees in roles such as clercial and technical support in elementary and secondary schools, library technicians, as well as support staff in the Board’s education centres.

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