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Security systems at Ottawa’s public schools were turned off Monday morning and front doors left unlocked in response to a partial strike by support staff.
As part of the job action, school office workers were advised by their union not to operate the buzzers that allow visitors entrance to schools. In response, the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board ordered any school with such a security system to disable it so students and parents could get into schools.
It’s unclear whether the security systems, which are in place at some schools but not others, will be turned off indefinitely.
The withdrawal of services is part of a provincewide action by the Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation, which represents office and clerical staff, custodians, technicians, educational assistants who help children with learning and behavioural issues, early childhood educators who work in kindergarten classes, social workers, psychologists and speech pathologists. The union represents several thousand staff at Ottawa’s public and French school boards.
Cindy Dubue, the union’s provincial vice-president, said she didn’t think that turning off front-door security systems was a safety problem. Many schools didn’t have security buzzers until several years ago, she said.
And school administrators can have someone else, such as the principal, operate the buzzers if they are concerned about safety, she said. “If they are choosing to keep the doors unlocked, that’s a decision they’ve made.”
At many schools, the doors are locked during the day, and anyone who wants to gain entrance — from a student arriving late to a parent or volunteer — must be buzzed in by office staff.
Dubue said the union’s withdrawal of services will have little effect on students in classrooms.
Paperwork will be jammed up. Support staff are being told not to fill in for absent colleagues, and not to attend staff or parent meetings or answer emails outside the work day. Custodians won’t fix equipment unless there is a formal work order asking for it to be done, or there’s a health and safety issue.
The Ottawa public board issues a statement saying student safety is a priority. “At this time, we are continuing to work with our unions to better understand how the sanctions will be implemented. We know that student safety is a top priority for every one of our employees. Our staff will continue with student supervision, safe arrivals and the monitoring of visitors to the school. We ask for your continued support and patience as we work through this legal strike action.”
Provincewide bargaining with the support staff union broke down Sept. 25. The main issue is job security, said Dubue.
The province’s public elementary teacher are already on a work-to-rule campaign that has steadily escalated since the school year began.
jmiller@ottawacitizen.com
查看原文...
As part of the job action, school office workers were advised by their union not to operate the buzzers that allow visitors entrance to schools. In response, the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board ordered any school with such a security system to disable it so students and parents could get into schools.
It’s unclear whether the security systems, which are in place at some schools but not others, will be turned off indefinitely.
The withdrawal of services is part of a provincewide action by the Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation, which represents office and clerical staff, custodians, technicians, educational assistants who help children with learning and behavioural issues, early childhood educators who work in kindergarten classes, social workers, psychologists and speech pathologists. The union represents several thousand staff at Ottawa’s public and French school boards.
Cindy Dubue, the union’s provincial vice-president, said she didn’t think that turning off front-door security systems was a safety problem. Many schools didn’t have security buzzers until several years ago, she said.
And school administrators can have someone else, such as the principal, operate the buzzers if they are concerned about safety, she said. “If they are choosing to keep the doors unlocked, that’s a decision they’ve made.”
At many schools, the doors are locked during the day, and anyone who wants to gain entrance — from a student arriving late to a parent or volunteer — must be buzzed in by office staff.
Dubue said the union’s withdrawal of services will have little effect on students in classrooms.
Paperwork will be jammed up. Support staff are being told not to fill in for absent colleagues, and not to attend staff or parent meetings or answer emails outside the work day. Custodians won’t fix equipment unless there is a formal work order asking for it to be done, or there’s a health and safety issue.
The Ottawa public board issues a statement saying student safety is a priority. “At this time, we are continuing to work with our unions to better understand how the sanctions will be implemented. We know that student safety is a top priority for every one of our employees. Our staff will continue with student supervision, safe arrivals and the monitoring of visitors to the school. We ask for your continued support and patience as we work through this legal strike action.”
Provincewide bargaining with the support staff union broke down Sept. 25. The main issue is job security, said Dubue.
The province’s public elementary teacher are already on a work-to-rule campaign that has steadily escalated since the school year began.
jmiller@ottawacitizen.com
查看原文...
