Kathleen Wynne threatens to dock teachers' pay if work-to-rule continues

Ontario elementary school teachers and some support staffengaging in work-to-rule campaigns could soon see their paycheques docked, Premier Kathleen Wynne says.

• Report cards won't go out as scheduled amid job action, TDSB says
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Wynne said Friday thatunions willreceive five days' noticethat the terms of their employment could be changed after Nov. 1if:

• A new labour deal isn't in place.
• If work-to-rule job actionsresume while talks continue.

A group of unions that includes the Elementary Teachers' Federation of Ontario (ETFO),support staffwith the Ontario Secondary School Teachers' Federation (OSSTF) and theCanadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), do not yet have contracts. Some have taken job action that includes not performing certain duties, such as filling out report cards or in the case of CUPE, cleaning some areas in school buildings.

Yesterday, the ETFO threatened to step up job actionby withdrawing extracurricular activities starting Wednesday. At a news conference Friday,Wynne said the job actions are negatively affecting students and "must stop."

"Schools are increasingly dirty and activities such as completion of report cards are not taking place," said Wynne. "This cannot go on. Our children deserve better."

She said school boards have requested consent from the government todock the pay of teachers and staff who aren't performing theirduties.The government won't give that permission until Nov. 1, whichwould then trigger five days' notice of the impending action.

Wynne made the announcement after a one-hour meeting with union officials and expressed frustration that deals haven't been reached.

"We are committed to a fair bargaining process," she said. "But at some point, that process must come to a conclusion."

The government has reached agreements with three other teachers' federations and Wynne hassaid ETFO and the other unions still without contracts must reach similar deals.Those agreements included wage increases and lump sumpayments, and total payments of $2.5 million to the unions becauseof the lengthy negotiations.

ETFOstands ground

Despite Wynne's comments, ETFOpresident Sam Hammond said he would not stop the work-to-rule measures while labour talks take place.

"I'm not going to respond to threats," he said.

Hammond said although there are now bargaining dates set withthe province, his members won't be backing down from withdrawingextracurricular activitiesnext week.

"We've got a commitment to bargain, hopefully we'll get a deal," he said.

Education Minister Liz Sandals said Friday that Ontario'sLabour Relations Act allows employers to change contract terms including the terms of compensationwith five days' notice during job action.

Wynne said she hopes deals can be reached ahead of the Nov. 1 deadline.Talks are slated to resume today.