OPSEU Local 330 - Simcoe County District School Board Support Staff

MARCH 26, 2008

2008-09 SCHEDULE:
TBA

MINUTES ARCHIVE:
MAR-26-2008
JAN-30-2008
DEC-12-2007
NOV-15-2007
JUN-13-07
MAY-02-07
MAR-21-07
DEC-15-06
OCT-18-06
JUN-14-06

Present:
Lesley Chisholm
Kim Lintack
Rosemary Henderson
Dan MacDonald
Jeanette May, Chair
Lisa McArthur
Silvanna Petersen
Angela Wagner, Recorder

Regrets:
Dave McCarl
Bob Stones
Scott Young

Approval of Agenda

The agenda was approved with the following addition:

School Council

Approval of Minutes

The Minutes of January 30, 2008 were amended and approved.

Business Arising from the Minutes

Facilities for Professional Development

Jeanette May reported that Numbered Memorandum 2007 - 2008: 187 entitled ‘Fourth Paid Professional Activity Day for all Educational Assistants on April 25, 2008’ was released on March 17th, 2008.

New Business

Online Transfers

Susan Hosein, from Human Resource Services, demonstrated the new on-line transfer process. OPSEU employees will now be able to enter, review, revise and delete their transfer requests
on-line. This process is very user friendly and will be available to employees for the summer staffing process. A Numbered Memorandum will be sent out to the system announcing the new process.

Staffing and Office Complement

Jeanette stated that all secretarial and EA staffing will now be done in the spring at budget time, and will be based on projections.

Banking .2 FTE Secretarial

OPSEU expressed concern that secretarial employees who are declared surplus should be offered .2 FTE positions at schools that have opted to take their increased allocation in cash. Jeanette May stated that senior administrators are currently discussing the secretarial staffing process.

Schedules on Recent Office/Clerical Postings

OPSEU expressed concern that the schedules listed in office/clerical postings are occasionally changed after the position has been awarded. Jeanette May stated that the Principal is able to change a schedule at any time in order to best meet the needs of the school. She stated that when the HR Officers prepare a posting, they will determine from the Principal whether there is any flexibility in the schedule and will note this on the posting.

Safe Arrival on Inclement Weather Days

OPSEU stated that on inclement weather days, elementary secretaries spend the majority of their day making safe arrival calls. Management stated that due to liability issues, this process must continue. It was noted that many schools put an article in their newsletter reminding parents to call the school if their child will be absent, even on inclement weather days.

New Path Funding

OPSEU asked where students will be assigned when the Section 23 classes end. Management stated that affected students will return to their home school.

Unpaid Leaves for LTOs

OPSEU asked whether unpaid leaves are being granted to employees in LTO assignments. Jeanette May stated that, as a general rule, LTOs are not granted leaves of absence. Human Resources is looking at their guidelines on leave approvals and is striving for more consistency across the different bargaining units.

School Council

OPSEU was concerned that some school councils are asking secretaries directly to do tasks for them. Management stated that school office staff should check with their Principal if asked by the school council to perform tasks for them.

JANUARY 30, 2008

Present:
Lesley Chisholm
Kim Lintack
Rosemary Henderson
Jeanette May, Chair
Dave McCarl
Lisa McArthur
Silvanna Petersen
Bob Stones
Angela Wagner, Recorder
Scott Young

Regrets:
Dan MacDonald

Approval of Agenda

The agenda was approved.

Approval of Minutes

The Minutes of December 12, 2007 were approved.

Business Arising from the Minutes

One Day Staffing

It was reported that OPSEU and management have continued to meet to discuss the possibility of implementing a One Day Staffing process for Educational Assistants. The committee met with other HR staff to learn how the teaching staffing process is handled. A number of issues were identified with this one day process that will require further discussion. Therefore, both parties decided to delay the implementation of One Day EA Staffing, but committed to continuing discussions to look at introducing improvements to the current EA staffing process, and to pursue other staffing options.

Kevlar Gloves

Bob Stones stated that the Behaviour Management Systems states that personal protective equipment is only to be used at the end of a continuum of strategies that are available. After discussion with staff, the school will arrange for a medical practitioner to assess a student’s need for personal protective equipment. If it is determined by the medical practitioner that personal protective equipment is required for staff to interact with a student in order for the student to access the curriculum, a referral will be provided. It may take several weeks to receive the equipment after a referral has been made. Employees who currently use personal protective equipment must also obtain a referral through this process. The Numbered Memorandum, ‘Use of Personal Protective Equipment’, will be released on February 1st, 2008.

Rotary Within Life Skills

Bob Stones stated that Special Education has not provided schools with any direction requiring the rotation of Educational Assistants. However, he clarified that EAs are assigned to a school, and not to a particular student, and that Principals have the discretion to assign staff in order to best meet the needs of the students.

Family Day

Jeanette May stated that February 18th has been declared Family Day and will be observed as a statutory holiday for all employees of the Board.

Facilities for Professional Development

OPSEU asked that the Board make a final decision regarding the scheduling of the fourth paid PA Day for OPSEU members, and that employees be advised as soon as possible. There was some discussion about training options that could be made available to OPSEU staff.

ACTION: Jeanette May will follow up on this matter and will ensure that a Numbered Memorandum is sent out to the system.

New Business

Employee Assistance Program

Jeanette May reported that the Board has launched an Employee Assistance Program for permanent employees and their dependents. Employees will be receiving an information package within the next few weeks that outlines the program.

Shortage of Supply EAs

OPSEU expressed concern regarding the number of EA jobs that are going unfilled. Human Resources is currently activating a number of recently hired individuals and additional interviews are scheduled for February to supplement the supply list.

Inclement Weather

OPSEU asked for clarification with regards to the payment of employees on an inclement weather day. If an employee reports to work on an inclement weather day within three hours of the start of their shift, there is no deduction in their pay and they will not lose a sick day. If the inclement weather causes an employee to report to work after three hours of the start of their shift, the total number of hours that the employee was absent will be deducted from their sick leave bank.

DECEMBER 12, 2007

Present:
Lesley Chisholm
Kim Lintack
Rosemary Henderson
Dan MacDonald
Dave McCarl
Jeanette May
Silvanna Peterson, Chair
Lisa McArthur
Jane Ryckman, Recorder
Scott Young

Regrets:
Bob Stones

Approval of Agenda

The Agenda was approved with the following addition:

Administrative and Support Staff Team Realignment

Approval of Minutes dated November 15, 2007

The Minutes of November 15, 2007 were approved with amendments.

Business Arising from the Minutes

One Day Staffing

Jeanette May stated that Ruth Bragança spoke with Senior Administration regarding the One Day Staffing proposal. It was reported that the Board has not budgeted for an extra paid day for EA staffing. It was suggested that the committee continue to meet in order to determine whether any other options might be considered for EA staffing.

ACTION: The sub committee will continue to meet to discuss options for EA staffing.

Kevlar Gloves

Management distributed a draft Numbered Memorandum entitled the ‘Use of Personal Protective Equipment” (PPE). This Numbered Memorandum specifies that any personal protective equipment to be utilized by staff must be recommended by a medical professional. Where the PPE is required for staff to interact with students as they access their course of study or program, the equipment is eligible for SEA funding. The Union questioned what the Board’s response would be if a parent refuses to obtain the medical note requiring the PPE or if an employee refuses to wear the PPE.

ACTION: Bob Stones will respond to this at the next meeting.

Access to Board Courier

Jeanette May reported that the Board has arranged for OPSEU to have access to the Board’s internal courier system.

Updating Student Information Sheets

Jeanette May reported that the Board had initially planned to have staff key the student information into ONSIS centrally. When it was determined that they would not meet the deadlines using the central keying, they gave the task back to the schools that had not been entered as yet, and provided one day of supply coverage to assist in getting it done.

New Business

Postings for Educational Assistants

OPSEU stated that some recent postings for Educational Assistants have included specific requirements that have not typically been listed on EA postings. Human Resources stated that they will monitor posting language to ensure it is appropriate for EA postings.

Rotary Within Life Skills

OPSEU reported that they are hearing from members that the Special Education department is encouraging schools to have EAs rotate within Life Skills classes. They feel this strategy is having a negative effect on communication in the classroom. Management stated that they are not aware of any central direction regarding rotation of Educational Assistants. It was suggested that if EAs have a concern, they should speak with their department head.

ACTION: Jeanette May will speak with Bob Stones to see if there has been any direction regarding rotation of EAs.

Cleaning Up Mess By Students

OPSEU reported that a custodian refused to clean up a mess at a school. This issue has been raised in the past and it was stated that it is clearly the custodian’s responsibility to clean up in the schools. If a custodian refuses to clean up a mess, the concern should be forwarded to the Principal.

Family Day

OPSEU asked whether Family Day on February 18th is going to be granted to OPSEU employees this school year. Jeanette May stated that this issue has not been finalized as yet.

Facilities for Professional Development

OPSEU stated that they are appreciative of all professional development. However, there have been heating issues at some of the facilities where professional development was held. There was also concern expressed about the short notice of the November 27th PA Day and insufficient spaces for those to attend who wanted to. OPSEU asked that the last paid PA Day be determined quickly to allow sufficient time to plan for the day and for people to enroll.

ACTION: Jeanette May will try to get a decision on the final paid PA Day.

Secretarial Staffing

OPSEU expressed concern that the secretarial staffing has not been implemented as yet. Kim Lintack stated that there are issues that are being discussed with senior administration, but she hopes to be able to implement the secretarial staffing in the new year.

Supervision of Students in Office

OPSEU stated that school secretaries are reporting that the supervision of students in the office is making it difficult for them to get their jobs done. They are concerned about dealing with confidential matters while students are in the office. Management stated that when students are in the office, there should be an administrator present or in close proximity, and staff should always be able to contact an administrator in the event students misbehave in the office. It was recommended that if secretaries have concerns about supervising students in the office, they should speak with their Principal and develop a protocol for their school.

Administrative and Support Staff Team Realignment

Jeanette May reported that her administrative and support staff team has been realigned and the two HR Officers have divided the HR responsibilities by Superintendents’ areas, and within the Education Centre, by department. They will be responsible for all issues relating to recruitment and selection, discipline, staffing, contract interpretation and grievances with their assigned areas. Kim Lintack will handle Areas 1, 3, and 5, and the Director’s Office, Continuing Education and Information Services. Lisa McArthur will handle Areas 2, 4, and 6, as well as Maintenance, Custodial, Planning, Transportation, Business Services, Corporate Services, Instructional Leadership, and Human Resources.

NOVEMBER 15, 2007

Present:
Lesley Chisholm
Carolyn Baxter
Rosemary Henderson
Susan Hosein
Silvanna Petersen
Jeanette May, Chair
Angela Wagner, Recorder

Regrets:
Kim Lintack
Dave McCarl
Scott Young
Bob Stones

Approval of Agenda

The agenda was approved with the following additions:

Security
Superivision of Students in the Office
Safety Plans
Postings

Approval of the Minutes

The minutes of the meeting on June 13, 2007 were approved.

Business Arising from the Minutes

One-Day Staffing

Kim Lintack provided an overview of the One-Day Educational Assistant Staffing at Kawartha Pine Ridge district School Board that was held on June 29th, 2007. OPSEU and Administration agree in concept to a OneDay EA Staffing. However, OPSEU would like to see this scheduled on an additional paid day. Jeanette May stated that there may be funding issues if they added an additional paid day. Ruth Braganca, Superintendent of Human Resource Services and Organizational Development, joined the meeting and stated that she would look into this issue. She asked the committee to set the scheduling issue aside, and asked that they continue with their planning.

Teacher-in-Charge

OPSEU stated that some secretaries do not know who is in charge when the Principal is out of the building. Management stated that secretaries should clarify with their Principal who is the Principal’s Assistant or Teacher-in-Charge when the Principal is absent. It was noted that some schools have white boards in the office that indicates who is in charge when the Principal is out of the school.

Kevlar Gloves

OPSEU provided Bob Stones with a list of the schools that are using Kevlar gloves. Bob Stones stated that the gloves are being purchased through the school budget.

ACTION: Bob Stones will investigate the use of Kevlar gloves and will determine whether there are any alternatives that are more effective.

Access to School Email and Photocopying
Jeanette May reminded the committee that the Director has stated in an earlier letter to all unions that Board owned equipment may only be used for legitimate Board purposes. However, it was noted that the Director stated at a Director’s Advisory Council meeting that unions may be permitted to use the school email and photocopiers if it is not related to collective bargaining, union business or union meetings. If a union wants to use the Board email or photocopier for a purpose that is not specifically prohibited, they must seek approval through the Manager of Human Resource Services. OPSEU also asked if they could have access to the Board courier system, which is already in place for other federations.

ACTION: Angela Wagner will set up the courier service for OPSEU.

Secretaries Checking Head Lice

Jeanette May stated that it is not the usual role of the secretaries to check for head lice, and as such, they may not be compelled to perform this task. However, an employee may be asked or could volunteer to do a head lice check.

Surplus Employees on Supply List
Kim Lintack stated that surplus employees are always given the option of being placed on the Supply List.

New Business

Secretaries Receiving Passwords from Parents

The Union reported that some schools have developed a system where parents who are unable to pick up their Kindergarten student will advise the school of the individual who will be picking up their child and provide the office staff with a password. Some employees are not comfortable with this system. Management stated that the classroom teacher must be involved in the pick up arrangements. Management stated that office staff who feel uncomfortable with this system should speak with their Principal.

Updating Student Information Sheets

The Union stated that secretaries are finding that the task of updating the student information sheets is very time consuming and that the form contains information that changes frequently, such as email addresses. They also stated that some schools had the information entered centrally, while others didn’t. Further, they stated that some schools received one day of supply coverage to allow the permanent office staff to focus on entering the information.

ACTION: Jeanette May will look into this issue further and find out why the arrangements differed between the schools and what the plans are for next year.

Transporting Students With Restraints

Bob Stones stated that safety vests that have been used in the past to transport students are not approved by Transport Canada. Accordingly, effective June 30, 2007, the Simcoe County Student Transportation Consortium and the Board decided to discontinue the use of these vests. New vests are available but will only be ordered as part of the SEA process. If a student being transported has behaviour issues, a safety plan should be developed. Some Educational Assistant positions are posted with the requirement to accompany students on a bus. For positions that were not posted as such, Bob Stones stated that if an EA is uncomfortable riding a bus with a student who is not wearing a vest, the school will try to secure another EA or other person to perform that duty. In these circumstances, being uncomfortable with performing the additional bus riding duties, when it was not part of the expectation when they were hired, is not considered a formal work refusal. The Regional Special Education Administrators are often involved with these cases.

BMS Waiver Protocol

OPSEU had raised a concern regarding the Board requiring employees to sign a waiver when taking the BMS training. Jeanette May stated that the Board has decided to eliminate the use of waivers for the BMS training and any waivers that were signed by employees at an earlier session are being shredded. Bob Stones stated that the BMS training places more emphasis on behaviour management techniques in dealing with students. The physical restraint is only used as a last resort, after all other strategies have been tried.

JUNE 13, 2007

Present:
Lesley Chisholm
Carolyn Baxter
Rosemary Henderson
Susan Hosein
Silvanna Petersen
Jeanette May, Chair
Angela Wagner, Recorder

Regrets: Kim Lintack
Dave McCarl
Scott Young
Bob Stones

Approval of Agenda

The agenda was approved with the following additions:

Secretaries Checking Head Lice
Surplus Employees on Supply List
Overtime for Overnight Trips

Approval of the Minutes

The minutes of the meeting on May 2, 2007 were approved.

Business Arising from the Minutes

Yard Duty

Jeanette May obtained clarification from the Superintendents of Education and stated that if a school is providing walkie talkies to Educational Assistants on yard duty, the other walkie talkie must be manned by either the Principal or designate, the school secretary or a teacher. If the secretary is carrying the walkie talkie and is not able to resolve an issue, he/she must be able to contact the Principal for direction or assistance. Students should not be the designated individual carrying the walkie talkie.

Access to School Email and Photocopying

Jeanette May reminded the committee that the Director has stated in an earlier letter to all unions that board owned equipment may only be used for legitimate Board purposes. However, it was noted that the Director stated at a Director’s Advisory Council meeting that unions may be permitted to use the school email and photocopiers if it is not related to collective bargaining, union business or union meetings. If a union wants to use the Board email or photocopier for a purpose that is not specifically prohibited, they must seek approval through the Manager of Human Resource Services. OPSEU also asked if
they could have access to the Board courier system, which is already in place for other federations.

ACTION: Angela Wagner will set up the courier service for OPSEU.

Surplus Employees on Supply List

Kim Lintack stated that surplus employees are always given the option of being placed on the Supply List.

New Business

ACTION: Jeanette May will look into this issue further and find out why the arrangements differed between the schools and what the plans are for next year.

Transporting Students With Restraints

Bob Stones stated that safety vests that have been used in the past to transport students are not approved by Transport Canada. Accordingly, effective June 30, 2007, the Simcoe County Student Transportation Consortium and the Board decided to discontinue the use of these vests. New vests are available but will only be ordered as part of the SEA process. If a student being transported has behaviour issues, a safety plan should be developed. Some Educational Assistant positions are posted with the requirement to accompany students on a bus. For positions that were not posted as such, Bob Stones stated that if an EA is uncomfortable riding a bus with a student who is not wearing a
vest, the school will try to secure another EA or other person to perform that duty. In these circumstances, being uncomfortable with performing the additional bus riding duties, when it was not part of the expectation when they were hired, is not considered a formal work refusal. The Regional Special Education Administrators are often involved with these cases.

MAY 2, 2007

Present:
Lesley Chisholm
Rosemary Henderson
Silvanna Petersen, Chair
Kim Lintack
Jeanette May
Bob Stones
Scott Young

Regrets:
Dave McCarl
Carolyn Baxter

Guest:
Ruth Bragança

Approval of Agenda

The agenda was approved.

Approval of the Minutes

The minutes of the meeting on March 21, 2007 were amended and approved.

Business Arising from the Minutes

Yard Duty

ACTION: Jeanette May will obtain clarification regarding the use of walkie talkies when EAs are on yard duty.

Suspension Letters

Jeanette May clarified that secretaries are responsible for preparing suspension letters in the schools.

Office Coverage by Students

The Union expressed concern that student volunteers are working in school offices, often without any adult supervision.

ACTION: Jeanette May will discuss this issue with the Superintendents.

Shortage of Supply Educational Assistants

Jeanette May stated that as a general rule, employees on a leave of absence will not be placed on the supply list. However, if an employee completes the purpose of the approved leave and has some time available prior to the expiration of the leave, the Board will consider a request to place them on the supply list. Such requests will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Payroll Issues

Jeanette May stated that she has amended the letter that she sends out to employees upon completion of their probationary period. The letter now advises employees that they have 31 days to complete the benefit paperwork and that their benefit coverage is effective immediately after passing probation. It advises them to retain their receipts for medical expenses and states that their benefit premiums are deducted one month in advance, retroactive to the date they completed their probation.

Rotation of Educational Assistants

Bob Stones confirmed that no directive was sent out to Principals dictating that EAs rotate through the assignments. The scheduling of EAs is at the Principal’s discretion.

Transfer Provisions for Technical Staff

Jeanette May reported that she met with Greg Elliott, Vince Garrett and Silvanna Petersen to discuss the issue of transfers for technical staff. They agreed that the Supervisor will advise the technical staff through email of any vacancies and the employees may express their interest in that assignment.

Teacher-in-Charge

OPSEU expressed concern that school staff are not always advised of a Teacher-in-Charge being designated when the Principal is not at the school.

ACTION: Jeanette May will discuss this issue with the Superintendents.

Educational Assistant Staffing

Bob Stones stated that the EA staffing process was handled differently this year with a zero-based staffing model used where each school had to justify their needs. The Principals met with their family of schools to discuss each school’s EA needs. The Superintendents will then make the final EA allocation decisions.

New Business

One Day Staffing

Ruth Bragança talked to the committee about an EA staffing process that was used at Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board that took place on one day at the end of the school year. Ruth Braganca stated that all EAs are required to attend the staffing day, and they each find out by the end of the day what their assignment will be for the coming year. She suggested that the committee visit the school board to see the staffing process in action.

ACTION: Kim Lintack will contact KPR to arrange for the committee to visit the One-Day Staffing.

Behaviour Management Systems

Bob Stones stated that the Board is moving from the Non-Violent Crisis Intervention training currently obtained through the Crisis Prevention Institute (CPI) to a program offered through Behaviour Management Systems. This program has a strong emphasis on progressive discipline, and restraints are only used as a last resort. The program requires an initial training and annual recertification. The plan is for all EAs to be trained in the new system by June 2009.

On-Line Pay Stubs

Jeanette May advised the committee that the Board is moving to on-line pay stubs for all employees effective July 1, 2007. Hard copy pay stubs will only be provided until June 30, 2007. All employees will receive a memorandum advising them how to access their pay stub on-line and providing their username and PIN. If an employee has an extenuating circumstance as to why they cannot access their pay stub electronically, they are to contact Joanne Gemus, Manager of Payroll.

Job Fact Sheets

OPSEU reminded the Board of our joint commitment to update all current Job Fact Sheets.

Violent Incidents

Jeanette May stated that the Ministry of Labour met with Board and union personnel to discuss a number of health and safety issues, including the reporting and tracking of violent incidents. It was decided that this issue would be addressed through a sub-committee of the Health and Safety Committee, chaired by Jeanette May. The commitment was that any process improvements be in place for September 2007. The committee will review current APMs and procedures and will make recommendations for any necessary changes.
Kevlar Gloves

Silvanna Petersen reported that an employee was injured when a student bit through the employee’s Kevlar gloves. There was some discussion about alternatives to Kevlar.

ACTION: Bob Stones will look into this situation and determine if there are any other options.

Access to School E-Mail and Photocopying

Silvanna Petersen would like the Union representative at each school to have the same privileges as the ETFO and OSSTF Union representatives in regards to the use of the photocopier and e-mail.

ACTION: Jeanette May will look into this.

Last Day of Work for Secondary EAs

The last day of work for EAs working in Life Skills classes was changed from June 22nd to June 27th. It was suggested that those EAs who have already made summer plans and are unable to work the extra days speak with their Principals. In the future, it is expected that EAs in the Life Skills classes will work until the last day of school.

Parkview Public School - Secretaries and Interview Process

The Union asked why employees have to go through a job interview when they are being considered for another assignment after bering declared surplus from a school. Management stated that the employer determines if a candidate is qualified for a position and can make that determination after conducting a selection interview.

Memos To Secretaries

There was some discussion about the method of notifying secretarial staff of the recent Professional Development day. Kim Lintack stated that a memo was sent to each secretary, a numbered memorandum was posted on the system, and a personal invitation was sent to each person’s email address. Principals were asked to advise their staff of this professional development opportunity.

MARCH 21, 2007

Present:
Lesley Chisholm
Dave McCarl
Silvanna Petersen
Carolyn Baxter
Susan Hosein
Kim Lintack
Jeanette May, Chair
Scott Young

Regrets:
Rosemary Henderson

Approval of Agenda:
The agenda was approved with the following addition:

One-Day Staffing

Approval of the Minutes

The minutes of the meeting on December 15, 2006 were amended and approved.

Business Arising from the Minutes

Yard Duty

OPSEU stated that they are still in the process of collecting information from Educational Assistants regarding the amount of time they spend covering yard duty. OPSEU will report to the Employee/Management Committee when the survey is completed. They also stated that their members may be required to carry a walkie talkie while they are on their lunch break, but the other walkie talkie is at times left in the office unattended.

ACTION: Jeanette May will obtain clarification regarding the use of walkie talkies in the schools.

Suspension Letters

The Union asked for clarification regarding who is responsible for preparing suspension letters in schools, as Principals were the ones who were trained on this function.

ACTION: Jeanette May will clarify who is responsible for preparing suspension letters.

NVCI for Supply Educational Assistants

Management stated that Special Education is supportive of providing NVCI training to supply Educational Assistants. They are hoping to provide both refresher and full NVCI programs before the end of the school year.

Office Coverage by Students

The Union expressed concern that student volunteers are working in school offices, often without any adult supervision.

ACTION: Jeanette May will discuss this issue with Superintendents.

Returned Buses

The Union expressed concern that secretaries are being left alone at schools at the end of the day and are dealing with bussing issues that arise at that time. Jeanette May clarified that the Principal or Vice-Principal is responsible for bussing issues and that secretaries should not be left alone in the schools to deal with returned buses.

Special Education Plan Binder

Management clarified that the Special Education Plan is on the public website but does not include funding or EA allocation information.

ACTION: OPSEU will submit a letter detailing the information they are requesting.

New Business

New Committee Member

OPSEU confirmed that Lesley Chisholm is replacing Mike Forgie on the Employee/
Management committee. Jeanette May has invited Bob Stones to participate as a member of the OPSEU Employee/Management Committee.

Shortage of Supply Educational Assistants

OPSEU expressed concern regarding the number of unfilled Educational Assistant positions, particularly for half-time vacancies and positions in boundary schools that are close to York Region and Bluewater. Management stated that EAs continue to be added to the supply list. OPSEU suggested that the Board consider placing employees on the supply list when they return early from a leave of absence.

ACTION: Jeanette May will review the policy regarding the use of staff on leave to fill supply positions.

Payroll Issues

OPSEU stated that ten-month employees who are required to pay for their summer benefits in advance are often unprepared when the double deductions begin. OPSEU requested that employees be advised in advance so they can prepare for the additional deductions. In addition, they stated that employees are not aware that their benefit coverage commences immediately after their probationary period is completed and that benefit premiums are paid one month in advance. If the probationary documentation is late getting to the Board, an employee may see two and sometimes three months of benefit premiums deducted on one pay, in order to get caught up. OPSEU requested that employees be advised of this in advance so that they are aware of upcoming deductions.

ACTION: Jeanette May will discuss these issues with Payroll.

Rotation of Educational Assistants

OPSEU stated that Educational Assistants working with high needs students often feel exhausted when assigned to one student. They thought that a memorandum was sent to Principals stipulating that EAs should be placed in a rotation. Management stated that EAs are assigned to a school and the assignments to particular students are at the Principal’s discretion. Management stated that employees should be encouraged to speak with their Principal if they have any concerns with their assignment.

ACTION: Jeanette May will clarify whether a directive regarding EA rotation was sent out to Principals.

Transfer Provisions for Technical Staff

OPSEU requested that technical staff be permitted to submit transfer requests. In that way, employees who are interested in a different assignment could make their interest known and move into a vacant position without going through the posting process. Management clarified that technical positions are not posted with a specific location.

ACTION: Jeanette May will discuss this issue with Vince Garrett and Greg Elliott.

Teacher-in-Charge

OPSEU distributed a questionnaire to elementary school secretaries to determine the extent to which schools are utilizing a Teacher-in-Charge. Based on the results, they have concluded that in many instances, Principals are not designating a Teacher-in-Charge when permitted under the teacher collective agreement. Management stated that there should always be someone designated to be in charge when the Principal and Vice-Principal are absent.

ACTION: OPSEU will provide Jeanette May a copy of the final results of the questionnaire.

Protocol for School P.A. System

OPSEU described a situation where an OPSEU employee was addressed by first name over the P.A. system in an attempt to locate the staff member. The Union requested that only surnames be used in P.A. announcements, as is the practice with teaching staff.

ACTION: OPSEU will provide the details of this situation to Jeanette May for follow-up, if agreed to by the OPSEU member.

Educational Assistant Staffing

OPSEU has heard that the staffing process will be changed next year. Management clarified that any EA positions that become vacant from March until the end of the school year, are filled on a temporary basis so the positions are available for any EAs declared surplus in the staffing process.

ACTION: Jeanette May will follow up with Special Education to determine if there will be changes to the EA staffing process for next year.

One Day Staffing

Management stated they are looking at the possibility of introducing a one-day staffing process for Educational Assistants. This would replace the current process that takes many weeks to finalize. Management suggested that Employee Services staff and OPSEU executive may want to visit a Board to see how the staffing process works.

ACTION: Jeanette May will invite Ruth Braganca, Superintendent of Employee Services, to attend a future Employee/Management meeting to explain the one-day staffing process.

DECEMBER 15, 2006

Present:
Lesley Chisholm
Rosemary Henderson
Dave McCarl, Chair
Silvanna Petersen
Jeanette May
Carolyn Baxter
Kim Lintack

Regrets:
Scott Young

Guest:
Bob Stones

Approval of Agenda

The agenda was approved.

Approval of the Minutes

The minutes of the meeting on October 18, 2006 were approved.

Business Arising from the Minutes

Workshops During School Start-up

Management stated that computer training was offered the week prior to school starting in 2006 and also during the first couple weeks of September. Staff were invited to bring work to the training and receive assistance completing the tasks. The Union advised that secretaries found the training to be useful but were frustrated with the timing of the workshops. The Board will look at alternate training dates for the future.

Yard Duty

Management stated that Educational Assistants may be required to perform yard duty. Educational Assistants may supervise a section of the school yard alone, but must be in contact with a designated individual assigned by the Principal, generally by walkie-talkie. Management advised that the school discussed at the last meeting has now implemented a new walkie-talkie system.

The Union voiced concern that more time spent on various duties means less time spent working directly with special needs students. They stated that there are Educational Assistants who, out of a 32.5 hour week, spend 2.5 hours on break and 7 hours covering duties, leaving only 23 hours to work with students.

ACTION: OPSEU stated that they will collect information from Educational Assistants regarding the amount of time they are spending covering duties.

Safety Concerns Re: Swimming Program

Management stated that for schools that have swimming programs, Educational Assistants who do not swim must still go to the pool but may not be required to enter the pool for safety reasons.

New Business

Suspension Letters

The Union asked for clarification regarding who is responsible for preparing suspension letters in schools. Secretaries were advised at some ONSIS training sessions that the preparation of suspension letters was not a secretarial responsibility. Management stated that secretarial functions were normally a secretarial responsibility.

ACTION: Jeanette May will clarify this situation and report back.

Unqualified Teachers

The Union expressed concern that secretaries feel that they are responsible for contacting unqualified teachers for unfilled jobs prior to the Principal’s arrival at school in the morning. Management advised that only staff who have been interviewed and have a Criminal Background Check on file may be contacted. Jeanette May stated that secretaries should not contact unqualified teachers until they have received direction from their Principal. If positions are unfilled, the Principal, Vice-Principal, or Teacher-in-Charge is responsible for making decisions regarding coverage.

Increased Incidents of Violence

Bob Stones, Principal of Special Education, stated that Behavioral Management Plans are put in place to reduce unwanted behaviors over time. The Special Education Resource Teachers are responsible for monitoring the effectiveness of the plans. If the plans are not achieving the desired outcomes, other options are available to the school, which include modifying the plan or making other referrals. He advised that Educational Assistants should address any concerns with the teacher.

NVCI for Supply Educational Assistants

The Union advised that permanent Educational Assistants are uncomfortable performing restraints on students with temporary Educational Assistants assisting, when the temporary EAs often have not received NVCI training.

ACTION: Jeanette May and Bob Stones will review training for temporary Educational Assistants.

Office Coverage by Students

The Union expressed concern that student volunteers are working in the school offices, often without any adult supervision.

ACTION: Jeanette May will discuss this issue with Superintendents.

OPSEU Job Descriptions

Management advised that the review of OPSEU job descriptions has not started as yet.

Summer Hours

The Union advised that Board Office employees are concerned about hours worked for Summer Fridays being lost as a result of the new rules. Management advised that employees are to consult with their supervisor prior to working additional hours. They stated that the rules have changed for the Summer Fridays, but that additional hours worked up to the point that the rules changed will not be lost. The Union stated that the secondary schools also participate in the Summer Friday program.

SCARRI – Uncertified Teachers

The Board is considering dispatching uncertified teachers for unfilled teaching jobs. Part-time Educational Assistants may be called to work as an uncertified teacher if they are not scheduled to work on that day as an Educational Assistant. The Principal may not switch an Educational Assistant into an uncertified teaching position.

Returned Buses

The Union expressed concern that secretaries are being left alone at schools at the end of the day and are having to deal with bussing issues that arise at that time. Management
stated that secretaries should not be responsible for handling returned buses.

ACTION: Jeanette May will confirm this information with the Superintendents.

Special Education Plan Binder

The Union requested a copy of the Special Education Plan Binder, which contains information on Board funding requests and Educational Assistant allocations. The Union believes this is public information.

ACTION: Jeanette May will review this request with Bob Stones.

OCTOBER 18, 2006

Present:
Mike Forgie Carolyn Baxter Rosemary Henderson Abigail DesForges (recorder) Dave McCarl, Chair Jeanette May Silvanna Petersen Lisa McArthur Scott Young

Guest:
Joanne Gemus

Approval of Agenda

The agenda was approved with the following addition:

i) Changing Hours of Work

Approval of the Minutes

The minutes of the meeting on June 14, 2006 were approved.

Business Arising from the Minutes

Year-End Vacation Pay Reconciliation

Joanne Gemus, Manager of Payroll, informed the Union that ten-month employees will receive a notification on their last pay statement in May advising them that vacation will be paid out on their next pay. Any employees who will have a shortfall will receive a letter prior to the reconciliation pay advising of the approximate amount of the deduction. All ten-month employees will receive a vacation reconciliation statement at the end of June.

Incident Forms

Abigail Des Forges, Employee Services Assistant, informed the Union that Capital and Financial Services are working with Information Technology Services to post the incident form on their section of the staff web-site. The Employee Services Department plans to add a link to the form.

Main Office Concerns

The Union had expressed concerns regarding the disruption that is caused by students serving in-school suspensions in the Main Office. Jeanette May, Manager of Employee Services, stated that office staff should raise any concerns with the Principal.

Locked School Doors

Lisa McArthur, Employee Services Officer, followed up with the school that reportedly locked all doors except the front door. She reported that appropriate doors are left unlocked during recess and lunch.

Lieu Time Log

Lisa McArthur reported that the school identified at the last meeting is allowing employees to accumulate lieu time appropriately.

New Business

Workshops During School

Start-up The Union expressed concern with workshops scheduled for school office staff during the first week of school. This is an extremely busy time for office staff and is an inconvenient time to be out of the school. Management encouraged office staff to advise their Principal when they are feeling overwhelmed with their workload.

ACTION: Jeanette May will speak to the Accounting Department to discuss the timing of their training sessions.

Training Office Staff Re: Medication

The Union asked if supply secretaries should be giving out medication in the schools. Supply secretaries should not be giving out medications in the schools if they have not been trained. Management informed the Union that the Employee Services Department is looking at providing basic training for supply secretaries.

Mileage Forms

The Union suggested that it would be helpful if mileage forms could be available at all training sessions so they can be completed and submitted on the same day. Management informed the Union of the importance of using the correct accounting codes and stated that Accounting is currently working on a new system of codes.

Deadlines

The Union and Management discussed the stress on office staff associated with reports that must be submitted within tight timelines. Management stated that many of the deadlines are Ministry driven and out of the Board’s control.

Yard Duty

The Union stated that it still has concerns surrounding Educational Assistants working alone on yard duty. Management stated that it is permissible for Educational Assistants to be alone on yard duty provided they have a means of contacting an administrator and/or teacher, if required. The Union reported that some schools have no walkie-talkies and no other means of contacting an administrator and/or teacher if required.

The Union also raised concerns over the decrease in instructional time for Educational Assistants who are placed on yard duty.

ACTION: Jeanette May will discuss this issue with Lindy Zaretsky, Superintendent of Special Education and Leadership Development.

Overtime for Field Trips

Management informed the Union that a numbered memorandum has been distributed regarding overtime for Educational Assistants on field trips. E.A.s on field trips must be given an uninterrupted lunch and breaks where they are not responsible for students. If they are not able to take their lunch or breaks, overtime is payable.

Safety Concerns Re: Swimming Program

The Union expressed concern regarding Educational Assistants who are non-swimmers who are being instructed to participate in a swimming program with students. The Union stated that they will meet with the Principal where this incident occurred.

Data Entry

The Union expressed concern over the high level of data entry needed to meet the reports required by the Ministry of Education. The Union requested that the secretarial staffing formula be reviewed, recognizing the high level of data entry required at some schools. The Union suggested that a Joint Committee be convened to lobby the Government for more secretarial funding.

Change of Hours

The Union asked how E.A.s should manage students who are on full day work placements. Management stated that Educational Assistants should discuss this issue with their Principal to find a solution.

JUNE 14, 2006

Present:

Union: Rosemary Henderson, Dave McCarl, Silvanna Petersen
Management: Abigail DesForges, Jeanette May, Chair, Lisa McArthur, Scott Young
Guests: Joanne Gemus, Mary Oldcorn, Sheila Smith

Approval of Agenda

The agenda was approved with the following addition:

m) Lieu Time Log

Approval of the Minutes

The minutes of the meeting on April 12, 2006 were approved.

Business Arising from the Minutes

Statutory Holiday Pay

Management has processed all statutory holiday timesheets from part-time employees who were not normally scheduled to work on the statutory holidays in question. Part-time employees who are not normally scheduled to work on a statutory holiday that falls within their normal work year are entitled to receive another day off in lieu, which must be taken in the two weeks before or after the statutory holiday.

Payroll

Joanne Gemus, Manager of Payroll, explained that notes can only be placed on the pay stubs of all employees within an employee group and cannot be placed on an individual pay stub. Therefore, the Union’s request to add notations to an individual’s pay stub to explain a special deduction is not possible. Management stated that they will send a letter to any employee who has a retroactive lump sum benefit deduction on their pay stub.

Fundraisers

Management explained that the Job Fact Sheet for Administrative Support, in both the Elementary and Secondary panels, states that job responsibilities include the counting and rolling of money generated through fundraising, as well as completing required banking duties. Management also explained that WSIB does not apply to employees after school hours, and therefore, banking should be done during their regular work day. The Union will encourage members to complete required banking duties during school hours.

Management recognized that the accounting functions within schools can be challenging and suggested that support staff should identify best practices through discussions with their Principal and Sheila Smith, Auditor. Sheila Smith can be reached at the Education Centre at extension 11237. Staff are also encouraged to participate in voluntary training sessions that are offered.

Teacher-in-Charge Guidelines

Management explained that a supply teacher can be called in to replace a Teacher-in-Charge when the Principal is away from the school for more than half a day and there are more than 10 FTE teachers at that school.

Cessation of Mandatory Retirement

Management stated that should an employee suffer an accident at work after age 63, he/she will have WSIB benefit coverage for a period of two (2) years.

New Business

Year-End Vacation Pay Reconciliation

The Union was concerned that some employees have a shortfall when the Board processes the year-end vacation pay reconciliation. The employees are often confused by the adjustment on their pay. The Union asked if Payroll could give employees a printout explaining the vacation pay reconciliation and asked if it could be sent at the same time as the pay where the adjustment is reflected.

ACTION: Joanne Gemus will investigate the feasibility of preparing a reconciliation statement for employees who will have a shortfall at the year-end vacation pay reconciliation.

Staff Website Update

Jeanette May informed the Union that all employees, including temporary and part-time employees, now have access to the staff website. In order to gain access to the website for the first time, employees must enter their five-digit employee ID and a password, which will initially be their year of birth. First time users will then be prompted to change their password. Users will be required to change their password every 90 days. Pay stub information and benefit data are among the many options available to employees on the staff website.

Yard Duty

The Union asked Management if it is acceptable for Educational Assistants to be alone on yard duty. Management stated that it is permissible for Educational Assistants to be alone on yard duty provided they have a means of contacting an administrator and/or teacher if required.

Incident Forms

The Union is concerned that some employees who are injured at work are not filling out the incident forms and that many secretaries do not know where the forms can be found. Jeanette May stated that Principals are reminded about the appropriate procedures when dealing with an incident at the beginning of the school year. Jeanette May asked the Union to inform her if members are not provided with the mandatory incident forms.

ACTION: Abigail DesForges will look into putting the Incident Forms on the staff website so that all employees have access to them.

Year End Work Schedule Forms

The Union expressed concern regarding the 2005/2006 Numbered Memorandum that requested that a form be completed if a Principal was going to adjust the last day of work of an office employee. The Union stated that some employees assumed that they could request time off at the end of the year through this form. This was not the case, as only Principals/ Managers are required to complete this form. The Union asked that the form be clarified in the future.

SCARRI

Management informed the Union that plans are underway to upgrade the current SCARRI system and move towards a web-based program. Management will keep the Union informed of pending changes.

Bill 78

The Union requested additional information on Bill 78 and questioned whether the Board will be increasing the number of Professional Development days. Management stated that they will inform the Union when they receive information from the Ministry of Education.

Joint Health and Safety Committee

The Union asked about the current number of OPSEU members participating on the Joint Health and Safety Committee and the process for increasing their membership on the committee. Management confirmed that OPSEU currently has two representatives sitting on the Joint Health and Safety Committee. If OPSEU is interested in suggesting a change to the representation, they would have to contact the Joint Health and Safety Committee, obtain the approval of the committee, and the committee would need final approval from the Ministry of Labour.

Main Office Concerns

The Union is concerned about office staff dealing with students who are serving in-school suspensions in the main office. It is common in some schools to have several students serving in-school suspensions in the main office, which makes it difficult for the office employees to work. The Union asked if there were alternatives to dealing with these students, as it has become a large distraction for the office staff.

ACTION: Jeanette May will discuss this situation with the Superintendents of the schools where these situations have been reported.

Locked School Doors

The Union reported that some schools are locking all doors, except for the front door, during breaks and lunch. This is inconvenient should a child who is outside need to use the washroom, and it poses safety concerns in the event a restraint is needed on the school yard.

ACTION: Jeanette May will speak with the Principals of the schools that were identified.

Recourse for Educational Assistants Being Physically Abused

The Union is concerned that some Educational Assistants are being physically harmed by the students to which they are assigned. Management suggested that Educational Assistants in these situations discuss their concerns with their Principal. Management also suggested that Educational Assistants could consider putting in a transfer request to another assignment if they are uncomfortable with their current assignment.

Cameras on Computers

The Union is concerned about the use of cameras on the computers of office staff in schools. They do not think that office staff should be responsible for security in the schools. Management stated that the computer cameras are intended as a security feature for schools whose reception area does not have a clear line of sight to the front door. The security camera is a tool for office staff to see the reception area without getting up from their workstations, thereby helping to ensure the safety of all students and staff in the building.

Lieu Time Log

The Union reported that some Educational Assistants who miss their breaks are tracking the time in a lieu time log and taking the time off at a later date. Management stated that Educational Assistants should be taking their breaks daily and cannot save them to use as lieu time at a later date.

ACTION: Jeanette May will follow up with the Principal at the school identified on this issue.

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