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9-Tha rCsnediin Oramninn TujAqdav. Santember 30. 2003 2LLMW 200 20 OP 0000 88-4 Teachers, board reach a deal BY TIM WHITNELL Special ta The Champion A marathon mediation session has resuit- cd in a tentative agreement between the Halton District School Board and its cie- mentary teachers. Laat week, negotiators for both parties worked fromn 10:30 a.m. Monday until 4:30 arn. Tuesday to reach the settlement. Halton is the st public elementary teachers panel in the province witbout a contract. Maureen Wemnberger, president of the Halton chapter of the Elementary Teachers' Féderation of Ontario, wouldn't reveal many details of the collective agreement as the pact still bas to be ratified by teachers and the sehool board. Ms Weiniberger did say tbougb that it's a two-year rétroactive deal that would mun from September 1, 2002 to Auguat 31, 2004. "We'll be starting it (negotiating) ail over again soon," she said. "Il's mandated that ail collective agreements around the province corne due in 2004." Teachers and achool board trustées are expected to vote on the settlement this week. Ms Wemnberger noted union sanctions like teachers flot attending staff meetings will rernain in place until a deal is ratified. Dawn Beckett-Morton, the cbief negotia- tor for tbe Halton public board, cliaracter- ized the lateat mediation session between tbe two aides as long but fruitful. "I tbink we botb were tired. It was a long baul but it was worth it," she said. "I tbink we're pleased. T'Me bottom line is you neyer get everytbing you hope 10 achieve, but 1 tbink we made our best effort and tbe union did, too." Ms Weinberger deseribed contract nego- tiations generally as "a tough proceas. You do tbe beat you can for as many people as you can."1 She said there was neyer really any point during the extended meeting Monday and Tuesday where tbe talks appcared ready 10 break off. As for the prime areas of concern tIsat are addressed in tbe tentative deal, Ms Weinberger said tbe tbree main issues for tesebers aIl along bave been financial com- pensation, part-year salary grid considera- tions for some teachers and working condi- tions. "You have to give a little to get a little," she said. The bead of tbe 1,600 teacher-union bas stated previously demands for wage parity. witb tbeir secondary sehool teacbing court- terparta in Halton. The Halton public board now bas only one employee group working witbout a new contract. The Haltoa District Educational Assistants Association bas bad tbree mcdi- ation taiks witb tbe board but the aides are still at an impasse. EAs consista of about 400 permanent Iand termn-specifsc workers as well as'about 120 casual and aupply personnel wbo work in special éeducation. E-As bave been working to suIe since tbe group announced il was putting 13 sanc- tions in place effective September 2.