FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 18, 2003

Memorandum of Agreement is a first step towards a two-year deal
Negotiations for a two-year agreement for the 2002–2003 and 2003–2004 school years have been underway between the Hastings and Prince Edward District School Board and the Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario (ETFO) since February. Both parties are pleased with the progress towards the development of a two-year package.

As a sign of goodwill, the parties have signed a Memorandum of Agreement that permits grid changes for 2002–2003 of 2.8 percent on September 1, 2002, and 1.37 percent on June 27, 2003, bringing the annual A4 maximum salary to $73,065, the same level as secondary.

Judy Edgar, Chair of the Board remarks, “The signing of the Memorandum of Agreement has been approved in the spirit of goodwill and support for our teachers. The Board has full confidence in both parties being successful in negotiating a complete two-year package very soon.”

Dave Patterson, ETFO Local President welcomes the signing as a declaration of confidence in the process, to date, and recognition of the Elementary teachers’ position at the table, “There is no more important commitment that we can make to local education than to achieve a two-year agreement that fairly addresses working/learning conditions and teacher compensation.”

The Hastings and Prince Edward District School Board has 54 schools serving 18,900 students and employing 1,083 teachers. The Board covers a wide geographical area of 7,221 square kilometres bordered by Maynooth to the north, Deseronto to the east, Prince Edward County to the south, and Quinte West to the West.

For information contact :
• Judy Edgar, Chair of the Board, 921-3203 or 1 800 267-4350, x2354 (to leave a message)
• David Patterson, Local President, Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario (613) 962-1210 x28
• Chris Salt, Superintendent of Human Resources and Operations, HPEDSB (613) 966-1170 x2281