The Windsor-area Catholic school board has reached a tentative agreement with its elementary school teachers.
The Windsor Essex Catholic District School Board arrived at the agreement with the union representing 756 of its teachers on Friday after months of negotiations. It covers the local terms of the agreement, however details are not being released until the deal is ratified. An agreement that covers central terms for all of Ontario’s teachers was finalized with the provincial Ministry of Education in March of 2020.
“This is a fair agreement for both the board and our employees,” said Director of Education Terry Lyons. “It’s a fiscally responsible contract that acknowledges the current circumstances in which we are currently operating, but also the contributions of these valued workers to our students and their families.”
The elementary unit of the Ontario English Catholic Teachers' Association will vote on the contract on March 17, 2021.
“We’re pleased with this new agreement,” said President of OECTA’s Windsor-Essex unit Darryl Fanick. “It includes some important improvements for our members and we will be endorsing it when we bring it to them for ratification.”
Board trustees will vote on the agreement at a future meeting.
An agreement with the occasional teachers was reached in January. However, negotiations with the board's 488 secondary teachers are ongoing.