ETFO education workers vote to accept new contract with Ontario government

Members of the Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario (ETFO) have approved their contract with the province, with 90 per cent of the union’s 80,000 teachers voting in favour.

This ends over a year of negotiations between the two parties, though future salary increases still have to be decided in binding arbitration.

The province says this agreement won’t directly change negotiations with three additional teachers’ unions that are still looking to settle their contracts.

ETFO members have had their say, and now all central collective agreements for teachers, occasional teachers and education workers have been ratified.
Across Ontario, it was members participated in this democratic vote process and have set the direction! #onpoli #onted pic.twitter.com/0HVYUt8Y4Q

— Elementary Educators (@ETFOeducators) December 16, 2023

“While this round of bargaining was exceptionally lengthy and difficult, ETFO members stood firm in the face of cuts, pressed for improvements to working and learning conditions, and won,” says ETFO President Karen Brown.

The ratified union contract, covering the period from Sept. 1, 2022, to August 31, 2026, awaits the final approval of the Ontario Public School Boards’ Association.

Their vote is scheduled this week before the agreement can take effect.