1193228_doodled_desks_2The Ontario English Catholic Teachers’ Association is pleased to announce that a tentative agreement has been reached with representatives of the Liberal government and the Ontario Catholic School Trustees’ Association.

“We appreciate the government’s efforts and those of the Catholic school trustees in reaching this tentative agreement,” said Ann Hawkins, OECTA President. “We worked hard to address the concerns of our members and believe this agreement will protect them as well as the quality of education in our schools.”

The details of the settlement are confidential, pending ratification by OECTA members, but work to rule has been immediately suspended during the ratification period.

Local Union President Louis Clausi says the ratification period will take them well into September.

He adds they were willing to carry on further if needed, but everyone is pleased about this announcement.

“We want to protect the classroom, and protect funding to education and keep good working conditions,” he said, “That means good learning conditions for students.”

OECTA represents 50,000 elementary and secondary school teachers in Ontario and has been in a legal strike position since August 17, 2015.

Prior to reaching the tentative settlement, only one school, Bishop Belleau in Moosonee, had commenced work to rule sanctions, which will now be suspended.

Those sanctions would have prevented after-school programs and sports teams from forming.

Last week, the Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation reached a tentative deal, while the Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario is scheduled to return to bargaining September 1st.

The union representing Francophone teachers in Ontario is also in contract negotiations with school boards.

Ontario’s 130,000 teachers have been without contracts for more than a year, and all four unions, even those with tentative agreements, must still negotiate local contracts with their local boards.