Labour Negotiations

Publicly-funded education in Ontario uses a two-tiered collective bargaining process:

1. Central Bargaining – negotiations take place at a provincial level to address matters such as salary, benefits, class sizes, etc. 
2. Local Bargaining – negotiations take place at the school district level to address non-monetary matters that are specific to each school board. 

The central body of each union negotiates with the province and their local units then bargain with each individual school board. Different aspects of a collective agreement are negotiated at each level.

Collective Bargaining

Collective bargaining is the process in which an association/union and an employer negotiate a first collective agreement or the renewal of a previous collective agreement. The agreement contains provisions governing the terms and conditions of employment. It also contains the rights, privileges and duties of the employer, the association/union and the employees.

At central negotiations, the Ontario Catholic Trustees’ Association (OCSTA) represents all English Catholic school boards in Ontario, including HCDSB. The Government of Ontario, as the funder of Education in Ontario, also participates in central bargaining, along with the various unions representing school board employee groups.   

At local negotiations, HCDSB negotiates with its nine (9) local bargaining groups. The list below provides a summary of provincial and local collective agreements reached for the latest rounds of collective bargaining.

More Information 

• Ministry of Labour​​
• Ontario Labour Relations Board
• School Boards Collective Bargaining Act​