LKDSB Director Jim Costello. BlackburnNews.com file photoLKDSB Director Jim Costello. BlackburnNews.com file photo
Sarnia

Local Teacher Talks Continue

Despite the Ontario government ratifying a new contract with the province's 78,000 public elementary teachers, local bargaining is ongoing.

The new two tier bargaining system means contracts have to be approved at both the provincial and local level.

Lambton Kent District School Board Director Jim Costello says talks are progressing well with their 850 full time and 400 occasional teachers.

He's hopeful a new deal will be finalized in the next few weeks.

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Costello says things like field trips, sports, extra curricular and report cards will be reinstated with the new deal.

Members of the Elementary Teachers' Federation voted 86 per cent in favour of the deal, while 98 per cent of union locals also voted to accept the tentative agreement reached November 2.

Under ETFO's "double majority'' voting process, both union members and union locals must vote to ratify the central agreement.

ETFO was the last of Ontario's four big teachers' unions to reach a new contract agreement.

The government insists all of them were "net zero'' deals, meaning any wage increases had to be offset by savings found elsewhere.

-With Files From The Canadian Press

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