What's happening in D3 this month:

June 7th:  District Executive Meeting - 4:30 pm

June 8th:  ESSU Paint Night - 4:30 pm (prior registration required)

June 9th: Ponderings & Potations at the Trevi Bar & Grill from 3:30 - 5:30 pm : no cost, all members welcome! 

June 9th: PSSP Meeting & Event - Executive meeting, followed by Dinner and Golf at the Daventry (prior registration required) 

June 20th:  Retirement celebration for TBU retirees at Alexandria's 4:00 pm - 7:00 PM - all members welcome - please register at osstf@d03.osstf.ca 

June 30th - At last! 😆

On Saturday June 3rd, Ontario Federation of Labour community rallies took place across the province. The Enough is Enough campaign called on the Ford Conservatives for real wage increases, keeping schools and health care public, affordable groceries, gas, and basic goods, and called for rent control and affordable housing. OSSTF District 3 and District 31 combined efforts and resources to promote issues facing public education. D31 Unit 57 President Roxanne Bélanger, D3 ESS President Stephanie Daoust, D3 PSSP President Dan Watson and I welcomed members who attended the rally and spoke with many community members on the common issues we face. We also engaged with residents who were displaced by the fire at the Coulson building a couple of weeks ago as well as many less fortunate residents living in the downtown core. The community BBQ we sponsored fed many of those residents who were extremely appreciative. This was very likely the best meal many would have that day. M&M Meats on Paris Street, our provider for the BBQ was so moved by the good that was brought through this event, pledged to donate a skid of frozen food items in our name to the Blue Door Soup Kitchen. We are very grateful for their generosity.

While the prospect of settlement is not on the immediate horizon, central negotiations will continue in late June. The slow and frustrating pace of these negotiations is compounded by the policy announcements that were made without consultation and the Ford Conservative’s reluctance to address working condition issues that are of great importance to the membership. A thorough analysis of the announced public education funding for 2023-24 is showing grossly inadequate funding levels, that do not cover rising costs, and are adding challenges to bargaining discussions. As negotiations move into the summer months, talks of pressurising the table are growing which we hope will result in more positive developments. Another date of interest is June 20th, where the Bill 124 appeal will be heard. OSSTF will be making a submission during the hearing, and we hope to get a favourable decision once again in early fall.

As we all look forward to a well-deserved summer break, I want to personally thank all Bargaining Unit Executives, Staff Representatives, Committee Officers and Members, and the District Executive for all of their work this past school year insuring that OSSTF business got conducted, as well as doing the work of supporting the membership. I want to also thank Donna McKinnon and Katrina Ross for their unwavering hard work and dedication in supporting Bargaining Executives, Presidents, and all members. We are very lucky to have them, and their efforts need to be recognized.

To all our newly retired members, congratulations on a great career and good luck on your future endeavours. To all members of District 3, have a safe, healthy, and happy summer and we look forward to seeing you in September.

                                                                           
Regards,                      
Eric Laberge
District President

   June 3, 2023 
        

It’s hard to believe that June is here already! Where did this school year go? I have had an eventful year in the office – learning the role and getting accustomed to a job unlike the one I had been doing for so many years. While I am no expert at this stage, I am feeling a little bit more comfortable and look forward to my continued growth in the year to come.
 
We have enjoyed many different social engagement activities this year, which has been so refreshing after years of virtual meetings and zero opportunities for social interactions. Our last activity was Rock N Glow Bowling at Plaza Bowl. I’m not sure that anyone is going to make it onto an Olympic team, but we did have a few stand-outs amongst us amateurs. Taking top spot was Thomas Hums with a brilliant score of 190. This was followed by Stefan Howard at 168 and Meaghan MacNeil at 155. Karen Passi took the prize for lowest score (57) in her first game, but had there been a prize for most improved, she would have won that as well, having a most impressive comeback in the games that followed. Win or lose, we all had fun and I don’t know about the everyone else, but I think I used muscles that are normally underutilized because I was a tad sore on Sunday. I’ll have to do some pre-bowling stretches next time.
 
The Status of Women Committee hosted a paint social for their members. We had our very own Sarah Cormier lead us through this creative process. Getting started was somewhat intimidating but as we let go and embraced the process, it was a relaxing exercise that melted away some of the stress of the day. I highly recommend giving this a try. A big thank you to Sarah for being such a great teacher.
Putting in a shameless plug for this committee, I would like to share that this active committee does a number of great things throughout the school year. If you are curious about how you can become involved, call the District Office, or speak to your staff rep. Positions on all committees are determined at the start of each school year.
 
We have one last event coming up June 20^th. OSSTF would like to celebrate our retirees and thank them for their years of service. This year we have two retirees from Sudbury Secondary School – Braden MacKinnon and Roberta-Jean Zadow-Roy. Anyone that would like to come and wish them well as they embark on a new chapter in which every day is a Saturday, may do so from 4-7 on June 20^th at Alexandria’s restaurant on Shaughnessy Street. There will be snacks and refreshments and perhaps even a story or two. If you are planning on attending, please let the office know by June 15^th so we can make proper arrangements.
 
Thank you to everyone who submitted names and recommendations for the Citizenship Bursary and the Tech Awards.  We have two recipients for the Citizenship Bursary; Jacob S. from Lasalle and Evan G. from Lockerby. Additionally, we have two students for the Tech Awards; Liam K. from Lasalle and Bradley K. from Lively.
 
And with that, I would like to wish everyone a good final month of this school year. May your classrooms be cool and your exams go without a hitch. Take the summer to relax, reenergize and soak up some much needed Vitamin D. Have a great summer!

Katrina Ross,
District Officer.

Tips for fireworks safety, plus know the law and your liability
 
Fireworks aren’t toys – they’re dangerous explosives that should be handled carefully. If you choose to hold a fireworks display this Victoria Day long weekend, it’s important that you respect local laws and follow our safety tips for a memorable but safe experience.
 
Read more at www.otip.com/article165.
 

7 road trips in Ontario you have to take before summer ends

In Canada, we cherish the long-awaited summertime. Ontario has many experiences to offer, and with just a few short months of warm weather, road trips are essential. That's why we've compiled a list of the best road trips in Ontario to soak up the sights.

Read more at www.otip.com/article166.
 

Early retirement 101: how to narrow the pension income gap

Thinking of retiring early? You could be facing a pension income gap. Now the size of that gap will depend on how far (or how close) you are to to reaching your qualifying factor but considering ‘retirement life’ includes many of the same day-to-day expenses as ‘working life’, any kind of income gap has the potential to be too much, especially with today’s high cost of living.
 
But that doesn’t mean that retiring early is out of the realm of financial feasibility. Here’s how you can go about narrowing any pension income gaps to maximize your cash flow: https://bit.ly/3N32w7C.

Brought to you by Educators Financial Group.
                          
 

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If your plans include staying close to home this summer, celebrate the diversity of our city with cultural and musical festivals throughout the summer! 
 

Canada’s longest consecutively running music festival - this years event runs July 6 - 9 with a line up that includes The Strumbellas, Sloan, Mountain City Four, Zachary Richard, and more.

        
        Tickets are available at  https://nlfb.ca/
 

                                          

Afrofest Sudbury is a free outdoor community festival, first held in 2018 at the Grace Amphitheatre in Bell Park. The festival aims to celebrate Afro culture through music, food, dance, fashion and art. Highlights include a parade celebrating African fashion, fabric, textile and patterns, a tribal face painting booth, retail, service and food vendors, and live entertainment.
https://www.afrofestsudbury.ca/

This Labour Day weekend festival is a mouth-watering celebration of slow-cooked, fall-off-the-bone goodness, as pitmasters compete to earn the title of Sudbury’s best ribs. Taking place at the Grace Hartman Amphitheatre, the weekend will also be full of artisan vendors, live entertainment and activities for the whole family.