Labour board rules: teachers’ union broke law

The Ontario Labour Relations Board has ruled the Elementary Teachers Federation of Ontario broke the law when it urged its members to withdraw from extracurricular activity during the union’s dispute with the Liberal government.

ETFO issued a notice to all of its members this past fall & winter urging teachers to stop volunteering for non-classroom related activities in protest of Bill 115 which imposed two-year contracts on educators.

Two school boards – Trillium Lakelands and Upper Canada – challenged the directive, and today the Ontario Labour Relations Board ruled the union engaged in illegal strike action. That ruling only applies to ETFO’s actions within those boards.

The union issued a statement this afternoon saying they would abide by the board’s decision, but also says “This ruling reinforces the position of ETFO that individual members have the right to make personal decisions about whether or not to participate in voluntary/extracurricular activities. It also makes clear that school boards cannot compel their employees to perform voluntary services or discipline them for not doing so.”

Education minister Liz Sandals also issued a statement today. “While we will review this decision, our focus remains on our ongoing discussions with ETFO and re-building relationships across the sector to ensure we continue to build on one of the best education systems in the world.”

It’s still not clear what ramifications the decision could have for the union.