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The Canadien Champion, Tu.aday, January 12. 1999 -3 tecrsgo father sues board, teacersover labour problems By KIM ARNOrr Special to The Champion The Halton Catholic sehool board and its high school teachers' union may be co-defendants in a recently-filed Iawsuit, but so fer the two aides have done littie but point fingers et each other. Lest week, Bill Pettey filed a suit in amaîl dlaims court to sue both the Halton Catbolic District School Board and the Ontario English Catholic Teachers' Association (QECTA). The Burlington father wants to be reimbursed the $1,040 he has spent this year on mathemnatica tutoring for bis eldeat son Ryan, arguing that the lack of after- class help for the Grade 12 Notre Dame student forced thse family into paying for private assistance. While botis teachers and school "'veryone board officiais have expressed dufr ov sympathy for the Pettey family, each side insists the blame laya to with the other, .. 've apologized to hiro and his o son publicly," said board Chair Jiro Sherlock. "I think the work- to-rule sanction is completely unfair." Since classes began in September, the Catbolic high achool teachers have refused to perform voluntary activities auch as after-hours tutoning and supervision of extracurricular sports and clubs. "This is two successive rounds of negotiations where our secondary union bas inflicted work-to-rule on our students in a very punitive way," added Mr. Sherlock. But union president Joe Pece says tie teachers are undertaking a legal job action and are within their rights to refuse voluntary activities. "I think the achool board is the one (Mr. Pettey) would have a dlaim against, if he even has a valid dlaim," he said. Mr. Pettey's suit officially dlaims the money on tise grounds of non-performance of service. He.says be bas paid his school taxes, but hasn't received service in retumn. In Use past, bis son bas made use of after-class help. with math homework and bas maîntained average grades in the 80s. Mr. Pettey says this year Ryan's marks have piummeted and be was failing math in November. Both the union and Use school board will have 20 days to file a response to the suit although Use costa of mounting a legal defense will Iikely mun fer beyond Use $520 epiece which Mr. Pettey is asking for. Wbile Mr. Sherlock saîd bis personal inclination would be to pay Mr. Pettey Use rooney he is asking, the new provincial funding model for achool boards offert no provision for Usat type of spending. Besides, such a payment could open a floodgate of demnands fromt oUser parents of high achool students. "The problemn is that we bave tbousands of sec- ondary achool students," said S ~ Mr. Sherlock. "Meny of thern li ifllugm bSave been affected by this obôWor work-to-nale." m homir, Neither Mr. Sherlock nor Mr. -ies.9yPece are optimistic the lawsuit ................ will belp speed along negotia- p~1ftytions, which are deadlocked over pay and workload issues.. The two aides have not met since December 8 and no new talks are seheduled. Mr. Sherlock seys Use board bas sent home a letter with ail students outlining the reasons for Use dead- lock. He says OEC'rA began negotiations wiUs a demand for a 10 per cent pay raise over two years and is stili asking for a six per cent pay bike. "There's no way our board cen responsibly seule for six per cent when we've settled witb our iargest union (Use elemnentary teachers) for two per cent," said Mr. Sherlock. "Until Usis union is prepared to look at some reasonable range of settlement, this impasse can't ha broken." Mr. Pettey. who says he blames botb Use teachers and Use board equally for Use lebor seifle, bas received wide publicity as a result of bis lawsuit. *Various newspapers, as well as radio and television shows bave interviewed bim, and be says he's also received positive feedback fromi members of Use com- munity. 'Everyone is teliling me Useir own borror ato- nies., ,Farm impact held study in GTA The Federations of Agriculture in the regional municipalities of Halton, Peel, Durham and York have joined forces to conduct an agricultural economic impact study in Use Greater Toronto Ares (GTA). This venture was leunched in response to the pres- sures of urbanization on agriculture and to shed light on an industry Usat is often overlooked in terma of its contribution to Use economy of the GTA. The project is heing funded by the Federation of Agriculture in the various municipalities as well as by Human Resources Development Canada. 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