Labour Negotiations

Across Ontario, school districts are engaged in collective bargaining with employee groups. While negotiations are underway, all Ottawa-Carleton District School Board schools are currently open and there is no loss of service taking place. Any significant updates that may affect schools will be shared with the community.

OCDSB employees are represented by two unions across nine bargaining units:

  • The Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario (ETFO) represents elementary teachers and occasional teachers; and
  • The Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation (OSSTF) represents OCDSB employees in secondary and elementary schools and administration offices. 
    • This includes secondary teachers; secondary occasional teachers; office, clerical and technical staff; custodial and maintenance staff; educational assistants; early childhood educators; adult education workers; and professional support staff.

Note: There are other unions representing education workers in Ontario (for example, CUPE) but they do not have bargaining units at the OCDSB and their actions will not affect OCDSB schools.



How do labour negotiations work?


Collective agreements for all employee groups in the Ontario education sector, except for principals and vice principals, expired on August 31, 2022. Collective bargaining is governed by the School Boards Collective Bargaining Act, 2014 (SBCBA) which establishes a two-tiered bargaining process:

  • Central negotiations are done by the provincial representatives of the employee (unions) and the employer (the Ontario Public School Boards’ Association represents the OCDSB). The government, through the Ministry of Education, is also required to participate. Decisions about which items are negotiated locally or centrally is determined by a central table. 
  • Local negotiations are conducted between the OCDSB and the local chapters of the unions listed above. Those items not considered “central” will be handled at a local level. The OCDSB and local unions will negotiate these items through the steps of the collective bargaining process. Typically, local negotiations take place following the conclusion of central negotiations.

What does the Board hope to achieve through labour negotiations?

The OCDSB values all employees and remains committed to good faith bargaining and fair and fully-funded collective agreements which support student learning and well-being.

What is a strike vote?

A strike vote is a step in the labour relations process. A strike vote is a vote of the union membership which authorizes their union to take strike action which could be a full or partial withdrawal of service. Just because a union has taken a strike vote does not mean strike action is imminent or even permissible. 

Will actions taken by other unions representing education workers affect OCDSB schools?

No. There are other unions representing education workers in Ontario (for example, CUPE) but they do not have bargaining units at the OCDSB and their actions will not affect OCDSB schools.

How will the community be kept informed?

Updates will be provided by email and posting of the latest news to our webpage and social media accounts. Should you have any urgent questions, please contact your school principal.


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