Avon Maitland Substitute Teachers Accept 4 Year Deal

November 24, 2005

Public elementary substitute teachers, members of the Avon Maitland Occasional Teacher Local of the Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario (ETFO), ratified a tentative agreement yesterday evening.

"Being an occasional teacher means being able to hit the ground running. This new agreement recognizes the experience and the qualifications that my members bring to the job every day. The Avon Maitland District School Board has shown in clear language that it values the skills and the commitment of occasional teachers by agreeing to improve both salary and working conditions," said Emily Noble, ETFO President.

"Occasional Teachers are fully qualified teachers certified by the College of Teachers. The improvements in the new collective agreement will benefit both daily and long term occasional teachers," Noble said.

"Working in the education system is more challenging than it has ever been, and my members have a contract that provides them with the supports to meet those challenges," said Kim Finlayson, President of the ETFO Avon Maitland Occasional Teacher Local.

The Avon Maitland Occasional Teacher Local represents 277 public elementary occasional teachers. Their contracts ended August 31, 2004. The voting for a new collective agreement concluded yesterday evening.

The Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario represents 70,000 public elementary teachers and education workers across Ontario and is the largest teacher federation in Canada outside of Quebec.