However, obtaining these provisions required more than difficult negotiations; There have been teacher strikes, particularly in Simcoe County, Waterloo Region and York Region. The York Region District School Board has also suspended its teaching staff. This model of strong measures to defend working and learning conditions would continue. In 2000, Hamilton-Wentworth teachers were returned to work after a one-day strike and a 16-day lockout. In the same school year, teachers in the York and Toronto area worked on a work operation, while Keewatin-Patricia and Lambton-Kent worked to govern, withdraw their teaching services and be excluded. In the following school year, there were two work measures by teachers. In Renfrew County, three ETFO bargaining units – educational assistants, chaperones and casual teachers – went on strike at the same time. In the next school year, 2002-2003, nearly one-third of ETFO`s teacher bargaining units participated in rule-to-rule work actions. The Liberal Era We could create a Hollywood ending by suggesting that after the Liberals were elected in October 2003, there would be no need for work, but that would be fiction. There may have been an impact on collective bargaining, but THE members of the ETFO are employed by the school management, not the Ministry of Education.
Yes, education funding now comes exclusively from the province, but it is the boards that are employers, that adopt budgets, formulate policies, provide resources, hire school administrators and supervisors, and shape the day-to-day work of educators. The level of qualification of Ontario public school boards in the complex working relationship varies widely. The numerous legislative changes to the duration of collective agreements have complicated the history of ETFO negotiations. In 1997, Bill 160 dictated both a start date and a limited time for all collective agreements of teachers and casual teachers. The infamous June 2001 Stability and Excellence Act, which introduced mandatory teacher recertification, had buried a tiny section there that provides for a common expiration date in August 2004 for all collective agreements of teachers and casual teachers. In addition, it was stipulated that all subsequent agreements should last three years. After their election in 2003, the Liberals cancelled the recertification process and changed the duration of collective agreements, which can now last either two years or four years.