OCT Fee Increase

On December 9, the Ontario College of Teachers announced to its members an inflationary increase to licence fees predicated upon a need to 'keep up with the times' financially. Completely understandable.  Inflation is out of control. Making ends meet is tougher these days, and we all could do with a healthy bump to our finances to reflect the ever increasing cost of living. To do it on the backs of teachers, whose wages have fallen behind inflation for the past decade, is remarkably tone-deaf. Your fee to teach in 2023 is now $200. This is a 17.6% increase over last year!  Teachers will surely be receiving a 17.6% bump to their wages in 2023, right? Members are not advised to hold their breath on that one.

In response to this outrageous and unnecessary cash grab, the OECTA-HW office organized an email advocacy campaign to tell the OCT that their fee increase is out of touch with the realities faced by teachers in Ontario. Not only do teachers receive very little in return for their yearly fees, the balance of political power on the body's governing council rests not with the members of the profession.  How outlandish! This effectively distills the OCT down to little more than a regulatory body; to call it a professional one, most certainly, would be a misnomer of terms. The fee increase becomes even more offensive once viewed through that lens, particularly when the governing structure of the OCT is so uniquely situated as a standout among other professional bodies (see table for council structure comparison).

To date, around 300 OECTA-HW members have added their voice to our collective message to the College - to reverse the fee increase and find better, more cost-effective ways to carry out their mandate. If you have not shared your perspective with the OCT, consider doing so today. It's as easy as click-click.  Click the button below to get started.

SSIR Completion Updates

The OECTA-HW office continues to promote the completion of Safe Schools Incident Reports, a duty placed upon all employees of the Board when they become aware of a student(s) whose conduct meets the threshold for reporting as outlined in PPM 145, the Education Act, and the HWCDSB Code of Conduct. Presentations were given at several schools to highlight the importance of formally reporting inappropriate student actions to the Board who, as the employer, has a duty to provide a safe and positive working and learning environment for the staff and students of the HWCDSB. Commonly heard during our visits to schools was a continued general unawareness of the existence of the form and of the duty to complete it.  Clearly, the Board's approach to training (self-directed Powerpoint modules) is not registering with the workers of the HWCDSB. To schedule a school visit with the OECTA-HW office staff, please reach out to arrange a suitable time. 

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