OSSTF Communications

Treaties are more than agreements made in the past — they are living commitments that continue to shape our relationships, communities, and responsibilities today. This Treaties Recognition Week, we recognize the importance of understanding the treaties on the lands where we live, work, and learn. It is an opportunity to listen, learn, reflect, and deepen our understanding of the histories, rights, and ongoing contributions of First Nations, Métis, and Inuit peoples. Reconciliation requires more than recognition. It calls for meaningful action, relationship-building, and an ongoing commitment to honouring treaty responsibilities. Learn the history. Understand our responsibilities. Honour the commitments. #TreatiesRecognitionWeek #TRW2026

ICYMI: The Ford government's mishandling of OSAP is dominating headlines again 📰 Recap: The Ford government cited rising OSAP costs to justify giving students at private AND public colleges and universities less provincial OSAP support in grants and more in loans they need to repay with interest. But Canadian Press reporting showed that OSAP usage at public institutions was relatively flat, while usage at a small number of private career colleges was soaring. And this government was warned. Career Colleges Ontario began raising concerns about suspicious OSAP activity at private career colleges in January 2023. Despite years of warnings, the government failed to get the problem under control. Now, in a belated response, the government has imposed a blanket freeze on OSAP payments across private post-secondary institutions, leaving students without the funding they were counting on. ❌ First, students were saddled with more debt. ❌ Now, private post-secondary students have had their funding frozen. At every turn, students are paying the price for this government's mishandling of post-secondary education. Read the full Canadian Press story via CBC. #OSSTF #OnPSE #OSAP

The second Triennial Equity, Anti-Racism, and Anti-Oppression Officer (EARAOO) Conference brought members together from across the province to learn, connect, share experiences, and reflect on how we can continue advancing equity, anti-racism, and anti-oppression across the Federation and in our workplaces. A huge thank you to our incredible keynote speaker, Larry Rousseau, for opening the conference, and to our diverse and dynamic panel of Equity, Anti-Racism, and Anti-Oppression Officers representing members from kindergarten to post-secondary education. We also thank everyone who led and participated in workshops exploring topics that are essential to our work across all areas of equity. Together, we continue to build connections, strengthen our collective power, and turn learning into action. When we work together, we move equity, anti-racism, and anti-oppression forward. #Equity #AntiRacism #AntiOppression #OSSTF

Just 7 days to go! One week from today, OSSTF/FEESO members in the school board sector will begin casting their central strike votes. This is the moment to send the government a strong message: members are united, members are ready, and members expect a fair deal that delivers for themselves, their colleagues, and their students. A high turnout and a strong YES vote will give the #OSSTF bargaining team a strong mandate at the table. And don't forget to take part in the test ballot! Log in, practise voting, and make sure you’re ready before the central vote opens November 6. The test ballot closes tonight, October 30, at 9 p.m. ET.

OSSTF/FEESO members: If you were unable to attend your in-person District Bargaining Information Meeting, join us for a virtual session on Wednesday, November 4. Find out where bargaining stands, what may come next, and what you need to know ahead of the November 6–16 central strike vote. Submit questions and hear directly from your union! 📅 Wednesday, November 4 🕖 7–8 p.m. ET 💬 French translation & ASL interpretation will be provided. 🔗 Register: bit.ly/48o86uS The more informed, engaged, and organized we are, the stronger we are at the bargaining table 💪🏽 #OSSTF #OntEd

Another confusing turn in the Ford government’s takeover of Ontario school boards... First, trustees at supervised public school boards were stripped of their governing powers. Then, the province left it unclear whether newly elected trustees would even be sworn in. When some trustees said they would keep meeting with their communities and speaking publicly anyway, Minister Calandra reversed course: they will now be sworn in, while still being barred from governing. The effect is that trustees remain sidelined, but are once again subject to the code of conduct and integrity oversight. That raises a serious question: is this really about accountability, or about limiting how elected trustees can speak and organize while their boards remain under provincial control? When trustees make mistakes, Calandra takes over. When political allies make mistakes, Calandra promotes them. 🤦🏽‍♀️ Full story in the Toronto Star: bit.ly/4eFDQzb #OSSTF #OntEd #OnPoli

Care touches every part of our lives, and the people who provide it make an incredible difference in our families, schools, and communities. In 2023, the United Nations General Assembly proclaimed the International Day of Care and Support, now observed annually on October 29. The day recognizes the value of care and support while bringing greater attention to the rights, well-being, and needs of those who provide care and those who rely on it. In publicly funded education in Ontario, we see care in so many forms. It can be found in the education worker helping a student through a difficult moment, creating a welcoming space, removing barriers to learning, or making sure a student has the support they need to succeed. Today is a chance to recognize this important work and the people who bring patience, skill, compassion and care to it every day. #InternationalDayOfCareAndSupport #OSSTF #OntEd

New to OSSTF/FEESO? Before the central strike vote opens on November 6, make sure you know how to cast your ballot and have your Member ID ready! Check Bargaining Bulletin #13, listed as the October 21 bulletin, for your voting instructions: underfunded.ca/members/

Protecting our democracy takes all of us! On November 5, join #OSSTF President @marthahradowy at Queen’s Park for Show Up, Ontario: A Rally for Our Democracy, organized by @cancivlib. President Hradowy will speak about government overreach in public education, joining civic leaders and advocates to stand up for transparency, the rule of law, and democracy. 📅 Thursday, November 5 🕛 12 - 1 p.m. ET 📍 Queen’s Park, Toronto Free and open to everyone. Registration is optional: bit.ly/4zfURsc

CENTRAL BARGAINING UPDATE #OSSTF members in the school board sector: Upcoming central bargaining dates and other information has just been sent to your inbox. Please check your email for the latest bargaining bulletin.

“The government needs to address and fix the real issues our schools face: rising violence, growing class sizes, and the chronic underfunding of public education.” That’s the bottom line from education policy scholar Marianne Larsen in this week's London Free Press. OSSTF/FEESO District President John Bernans also points to the reality educators face when governments announce new policies without providing the conditions needed to make them work: inconsistent enforcement, insufficient support, and the growing challenge of monitoring classrooms as class sizes increase. Policies announced at Queen’s Park have to work in real classrooms. That means addressing class sizes, staffing, supports, safety, and chronic underfunding. 🔗 bit.ly/3TMvleH #OSSTF #OntEd #OnPoli

Care counts, and so does action! Join the Care Counts Rally on Thursday, October 29, at 12 p.m. on the South Lawn at Queen’s Park to call for fair compensation, decent work, and the funding needed to build a high-quality early learning and child care system. RSVP and add your support: events.aeceo.ca/2026_rally

Test ballot is now OPEN! #OSSTF members in the school board sector can log in now to practise the voting process ahead of the central strike vote. Take a minute this week to make sure your login works and you know exactly what to expect before November 6. Bonus: everyone who participates is automatically entered into a draw for one of five $100 gift cards 🎁 The test ballot closes Friday, October 30 at 9 p.m. ET.

On Canadian School Library Day, we celebrate the important role school libraries play in public education 📖 School libraries are more than shelves of books. They are spaces where students can explore ideas, strengthen literacy and research skills, discover new perspectives, access information and develop a lifelong love of learning. They also help make knowledge and learning opportunities accessible to students across our school communities. Today, we invite you to celebrate your school library. Share a book you discovered there, a memory that stayed with you, or something your school library helped you learn. Comment below. #CanadianSchoolLibraryDay #SchoolLibraries #OntEd #OSSTF

#OSSTF members in the school board sector: the test ballot opens tomorrow at 8:30 a.m 🗳️ The test ballot runs October 26–30. Take a few minutes this week to practise logging in and voting before the central strike vote begins November 6. The test ballot does not count as your central strike vote, and everyone who participates will be entered into a draw for one of five $100 gift cards 🎁

“Underfunding is a choice. Staffing shortages are the result of choices. And this government needs to own those choices.” Yesterday, more than 10,000 education workers, families, students, and community members rallied across Ontario for the future of public education 🙌🏽 As #OSSTF President @marthahradowy told the crowd at Queen’s Park, students, education workers, and families didn’t create the crisis in our schools, but they’re the ones paying the price. Ontario’s students deserve better. #OSSTF #OntEd #OntEdUnited

“People across the province are sending a clear message to the Ford government: Ontario’s students deserve better, and publicly funded education is worth investing in.” #OSSTF President @marthahradowy’s message is featured in the Toronto Star’s coverage of yesterday’s rallies, which brought more than 10,000 people together in Toronto, Ottawa, London, Sudbury, and Thunder Bay in support of public education. Read more about the rallies and what education workers are fighting for: bit.ly/4jFEDUi #OSSTF #OntEd #OntEdUnited