As a professional, it is important to understand and keep up-to-date with current events in order to create content that is not only informative but also relevant to your audience. One such event that has been making headlines in recent months is the HDSB OSSTF Collective Agreement.
The HDSB (Halton District School Board) and OSSTF (Ontario Secondary School Teachers` Federation) have been negotiating a new collective agreement since May 2019. The previous agreement expired on August 31, 2019, and since then, the two sides have been trying to come to an agreement on several key issues.
One of the main sticking points has been class sizes. The HDSB proposed increasing class sizes from 22 to 28 students, while the OSSTF wants to keep them at 22. The OSSTF argues that larger class sizes would negatively impact student learning, while the HDSB says that it needs to reduce costs and that larger classes would not have a significant impact on student achievement.
Another issue that has been raised is salary. The HDSB has proposed a salary freeze for the first two years of the new agreement, followed by a 1% increase in the third year. The OSSTF has asked for a 2% increase in each of the three years.
In addition to these issues, the two sides have also been discussing topics such as support for students with special needs, mental health, and workload.
Negotiations have been ongoing, and both sides have taken steps to try and reach an agreement. The OSSTF held a one-day strike on December 4, 2019, to protest the lack of progress in negotiations. The HDSB has also made efforts, including hiring a mediator to help facilitate the negotiations.
As of writing, the two sides have not yet come to an agreement, and the OSSTF has planned another one-day strike on Wednesday, December 18, 2019.
So what does this all mean for students, teachers, and parents in the HDSB? If an agreement is not reached soon, there could be more strikes and disruptions to student learning. It is also possible that classes could be cancelled or postponed if the strike action continues.
As a professional, it is important to keep an eye on this developing story and provide updates as they become available. Providing informative and relevant content about current events is crucial for engaging readers and building a strong online presence.
