Elementary Teachers of Toronto

The organization is a governed by a member-approved constitution.{{cite web|title=Constitution and Bylaws of the Elementary Teachers' Federation of Ontario, Local 12, Elementary Teachers of Toronto|url=http://www.ett.ca/the-ett-constitution/|work=Elementary Teachers of Toronto|date=February 21, 2013|accessdate=September 10, 2013}}{{cite web|title=ETFO Locals|url=http://www.etfo.ca/aboutetfo/locals/Pages/default.aspx|work=Elementary Teachers' Federation of Ontario|date=September 2013|accessdate=September 10, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130824132629/http://www.etfo.ca/aboutetfo/locals/pages/default.aspx|archive-date=August 24, 2013|url-status=dead}}

The business of the local is conducted by an elected executive, composed of three Table Officers (President, Vice-President, and Secretary/Treasurer) and 11 Executive Officers. Each Executive Officer represents two of the TDSB's 22 wards. Officers are elected for two-year terms.{{cite web|title=Elementary Teachers of Toronto: Who We Are|url=http://www.ett.ca/about-us/who-we-are/|work=Elementary Teachers of Toronto|date=July 12, 2012|accessdate=September 10, 2013}} The current president is Helen Victoros. The current vice president is Nigel Barriffe.

Members are also represented by Regional Organizers (one per TDSB ward) and at least one Steward per school. Both representatives liaise between teachers and Executive Officers.{{cite web|title=Constitution and Bylaws of the Elementary Teachers' Federation of Ontario, Local 12, Elementary Teachers of Toronto|url=http://www.ett.ca/the-ett-constitution/|work=Elementary Teachers of Toronto|date=June 2, 2015|accessdate=November 21, 2016}}

ETT is represented on the board of the Toronto & York Region Labour Council.{{cite web|title=Labour Council's Executive Board and Committees 2016 - 2018|url=http://www.labourcouncil.ca/executive-board-and-committees.html|work=Toronto & York Region Labour Council|year=2016|accessdate=November 21, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161122153457/http://www.labourcouncil.ca/executive-board-and-committees.html|archive-date=November 22, 2016|url-status=dead}}

{{Main|Putting Students First Act}}

In response to the passage of the Putting Students First Act (Bill 115), by the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, the membership of the Elementary Teachers of Toronto engaged in several forms of organized protest, including, most notably, a one-day strike action on December 18, 2012.

On December 18, 2012, Toronto public elementary teachers participated in a one-day strike action to protest Bill 115 and the legislation’s perceived negative impact on local collective bargaining.

The walkout closed 474 schools in Toronto, affecting 173,480 elementary students.{{cite news|title=Nearly 800 GTA schools close for the day as teachers hit picket lines for ‘Super Tuesday’ |url=http://news.nationalpost.com/2012/12/18/nearly-800-gta-schools-set-to-close-for-the-day-as-teachers-hit-picket-lines-for-super-tuesday/|last=Nesci |first=Gianluca|work=National Post|publisher=Postmedia Network Inc.|date=December 18, 2013|accessdate=September 16, 2013}} An estimated 12,000 Toronto public elementary teachers engaged in the labour action.{{cite news|title=Etobicoke teachers hit the picket lines for ‘Super Tuesday’|url=http://news.ca.msn.com/ontario/toronto/etobicoke-teachers-hit-the-picket-lines-for-%E2%80%98super-tuesday%E2%80%99|last=Reason|first=Cynthia|work=Inside Toronto|publisher=MetroLand Media|date=December 18, 2012|accessdate=September 16, 2013}}{{Dead link|date=November 2019 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}

The strike was dubbed "Super Tuesday" in the media, due to its size and scope.{{cite news|title=Elementary teachers take Super Tuesday to Broten's doorstep |url=http://www.torontosun.com/2012/12/17/elementary-teachers-take-super-tuesday-to-brotens-doorstep|last=Jeffords |first=Shawn|work=Toronto Sun|publisher=Sun Media|date=December 17, 2012|accessdate=September 16, 2013}}

On January 15, 2013, Toronto-local members organized a protest in front of the Ontario Ministry of Education building, on Bay Street. The rally drew hundreds of protestors, forcing police to divert traffic and close down part of the street.{{cite news|title=Toronto teachers rally against Bill 115 at education ministry |url=http://www.680news.com/2013/01/15/torontos-public-elementary-teachers-plan-protest-tuesday-night/|last=McCusker |first=Kris |work=680 News|publisher=Rogers Communications|date=January 15, 2013|accessdate=September 16, 2013}}

The Toronto local, in coordination with the other public elementary teacher locals in the GTA, held a demonstration on January 25, 2013, on Carlton Street in front of Maple Leaf Gardens, the site of the 2013 Ontario Liberal Party leadership election. The size of protest, estimated in the hundreds, prompted police to close a section of Carlton Street outside the convention.{{cite news|title=Teachers protest outside Liberal convention |url=https://toronto.citynews.ca/2013/01/25/teachers-protest-outside-liberal-convention/ |work=CityNews-Toronto|publisher=CityTV|date=January 25, 2013|access-date=September 16, 2013}}

In January 2015, the Ontario Ministry of Education released a report indicating that 84 TDSB elementary schools fell under the ministry’s definition of underutilized (less than 65 per cent capacity), and could potentially be closed.{{cite web|title=Review of the Toronto District School Board |url=http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/new/2015/TDSBReview2015.pdf|last=Wilson |first=Margaret|work=Ontario Ministry of Education|date=January 15, 2015|accessdate=November 21, 2016}} The TDSB, following directives from Ontario Minister of Education Liz Sandals, conducted its own review, refining the list of underutilized elementary schools to 48.{{cite news|title=TDSB names 60 schools in review of under-used space |url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/tdsb-names-60-schools-in-review-of-under-used-space-1.2944943 |work=CBC News Toronto|publisher=CBC|date=February 4, 2015|accessdate=November 21, 2016}}{{cite news|title=Several TDSB schools could be closed due to declining enrollment |url=http://www.cp24.com/news/several-tdsb-schools-could-be-closed-due-to-declining-enrollment-1.2211688 |last=Wilson |first=Codi |work=CP24|publisher=Bell Media|date=January 29, 2015|accessdate=November 21, 2016}}

ETT reviewed the 48 elementary schools highlighted by the TDSB using the data collected by the board to rank schools by external challenges to students (family income, levels of social assistance, family education, and preponderance of lone parent families{{cite web|title=Learning Opportunities Index |url=http://www.tdsb.on.ca/Portals/Research/docs/LOI2014.pdf|work=Toronto District School Board|date=2014|accessdate=November 21, 2016}}). ETT’s report concluded that the majority of the schools being considered for closure fell within the areas of Toronto the TDSB considers to be the poorest and to have the fewest learning opportunities.{{cite news|title= Majority of schools on TDSB hit list in poorer neighbourhoods |url= https://www.thestar.com/yourtoronto/education/2015/02/09/majority-of-schools-on-tdsb-hit-list-in-poorer-neighbourhoods.html |last=Brown |first=Louise |work=Toronto Star|publisher=Torstar|date=February 9, 2015|accessdate=November 21, 2016}}{{cite web|title=School Closures|url=https://www.ett.ca/key-issues/wilson-report/|work=Elementary Teachers of Toronto|date=February 8, 2015|accessdate=November 21, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161122072242/https://www.ett.ca/key-issues/wilson-report/|archive-date=November 22, 2016|url-status=dead}}

• Education in Ontario
• Elementary Teachers' Federation of Ontario
• Ontario Secondary School Teachers' Federation

{{reflist}}

• {{Official website}}

Category:Education trade unions

Category:Educational organizations based in Ontario

Category:Trade unions established in 1998

Category:Trade unions in Ontario