OSBCU
80 Commerce Valley Dr E L3T 0B2 Markham, ON, Canada

Picketing in a pandemic! While we had hoped to do a live from the picket line supporting local 5257, we wanted to ensure we practiced the safest of protocols so we chose photos instead! These members are brave! 100 strong with 100% participation on the line ~ not a single scab!!! They are fighting for a decent wage as many make barely above the minimum. Combine low wages with crushing workloads and these folks have something to fight for! We will be posting the e-action that you can take, sending a clear message to the sole owner and director to chose people over profits! Carrie Lynn Poole-Cotnam

OSBCU table officers are en route to the Old Kingston Rd location to show our support. We will be broadcasting live around 10 am and posting an action everyone can do to show support for these members

York Communities for Public Education is excited to host another #SafeLearnOrNoReturn Roundtable Discussion on Tuesday, November 24th from 7:00pm to 8:30pm, liv...e on our Facebook page! Join our Co-Chair Shameela Shakeel, NDP Education Critic Marit Stiles, COVID-19 Biostatistician Ryan Imgrund, YCDSB teacher Karen Ebanks, and YRDSB student Palwashah Ali for a discussion on learning and teaching during the pandemic. We will be touching upon several important topics including student mental health, equity concerns, safety measures, class sizes, response strategy, and more. Please register and submit your questions no later than November 21st at 11:59pm > https://linktr.ee/yorkcommunities4publiced #OntEd #OntEdReality #Onpoli #YRDSB #YCDSB #Saferschools

https://ottawacitizen.com//im-stressed-out-i-cant-sleep-at

First. It’s something that folks strive to be. The first across the finish line, the first to discover something new, the first to achieve a goal. Today, one ...of the members I have the honour to serve was first. And it’s not a designation I would wish on anyone. Today, a caring and committed Child and Youth Worker with Local 1328 (Toronto Catholic District School Board) died from COVID 19. She is the first education worker in Ontario to lose her life to this pandemic while actively at work. The details are not yet clear, but in this case being first has no glory. There should have never been a first. This government failed this woman, her family, her colleagues, her community and this province as a whole. Instead of committing the funds necessary to keep students and education workers safe, they have chosen photo ops and work arounds, guidelines rather than directives and complete disregard to the advice provided by frontline workers. Today I think of the quote by Educator Mother Jones, and commit myself to follow through See more

OSBCU and CUPE Ontario condemn the recent racist incident at Durham Catholic District School Board, where CUPE represents hundreds of education workers. Our union and our members support all those who are fighting to eliminate systemic racism, especially in our schools. We will always work to make our schools places that are free of racism and inclusive for all students and staff. https://www.cbc.ca//pickering-school-racist-yearbook-1.576

We learned this morning that a CUPE member from TCDSB died after having contracted COVID-19. We are deeply saddened by this news and send out our deepest condolences to family and friends of our union sister. President, Laura Walton, has been in touch with the local president to offer all support that she, her executive and her members require at this difficult time. CUPE and the OSBCU will be working to support the local to seek more information about this tragic occurrence, which is of deep concern to education workers, families and students across the province.

Many of our locals also represent members within the school board transportation consortiums. Today we ask that OSBCU members show their solidarity with CUPE Local 1479-3, who is back at the table with TriBoard Bussing with a 100% strike mandate! Congrats to the bargaining team for getting this mandate. It is this kind of solidarity that gets a fair deal to protect the transportation service for students of HPEDSB, ALCDSB and Limestone DSB!

We need your help to answer a question that has been coming up a lot in our comments and it's about nurses in our schools. On August 13th Stephen Lecce promis...ed us that the nurses being hired would help with surveillance testing in our schools. Has anyone seen this happen? Let us know and share to find out from your friends and family. See him make the promise here: https://youtu.be/H3TRRyPG9YI?t=127

Throughout the spring and summer we repeatedly urged the government to meet with frontline workers to collaborate on a plan to ensure a safe September. We encouraged local leaders to do the same, many of whom were met with closed doors and management not willing to discuss. Often the OSBCU president, Laura Walton, used the statement we must get this right, as we simply cannot afford to get this wrong. And here we are, first long weekend, the province spiralling into chaos, the province sitting on $7billion of unspent reserves (as per the financial accountability office) and again families, small business and workers will pay the price for Ford and his party’s ineptness. This was predictable and preventable - but when you vote for a buck a beer party you get bargain basement and dangerous solutions.

To all of our teaching colleagues, this year has highlighted the value that you and all education workers have in our communities. Thank you!

Merci a tous concierges!

Each year on October 2nd we celebrate our custodial, caretaker and maintenance folks. We have always known the importance of these members to keep our schools clean, sanitized,safe and secure. This year, despite understaffing and challenges, they have shown their professionalism in the face of the pandemic. Thank you to all of you for being one of the reasons that #safeschoolsdependoncupe

Today the Ministry provided new guidelines surrounding students and children regarding symptoms of COVID 19. Please note that the memo clearly states the following "Please note that these changes apply to students and children only. Staff and essential visitors are to continue to use the existing screening criteria and/or make use of the Ministry of Health's COVID 19 screening tool. Please check with your union is there a protocols at your school board. However that screening tool can be found at covid-19.ontario.ca/self-assessment

We are thrilled to announce the committee members on the Equity Working Group. We have vacancies for a Young Worker and Indigenous Worker - if interested email [email protected]

The Ontario government’s temporary wage increase for personal support workers is a step in the right direction but much more needs to be done, says CUPE Ontario and the Ontario Council of Hospital Unions. Read more: bit.ly/3l5F5cI

On Monday, make sure to stop by McDonalds for a free coffee or tea!

The AECEO invites you to join kindergarten educators from across the province for a virtual discussion. We know DECEs in the Kindergarten program are facing many unique challenges. Let's come together to share our experiences, concerns, knowledge and questions and connect with advocates and each other. Together, we are stronger. Registration is required: https://us02web.zoom.us/.../tZcrdOCppjwuGNySywYFZElgBU... Association of Early Childhood Educators Ontario http://www.aeceo.ca/

Excellent work by Blake Corkill and the team at Local 4153. We all must continue to raise our voices and our concerns with the government and school boards and demand that we have sufficient staff to keep us all safe!