The Manitoba Teachers’ Society (MTS) is calling it a historic breakthrough.
After two years of what it considers intense negotiations aimed at amalgamating the 37 teacher collective agreements under provincial jurisdictions, the MTS Table Team says it achieved a historic breakthrough on Thursday of last week, at the anglophone bargaining table.
This follows the implementation of Bill 45 – The Public Schools Amendment and Manitoba Teachers’ Society Amendment Act, which mandated a shift to provincial bargaining for public school teachers. This marks the first collective agreement negotiated under the new legislative framework.
Terms of the tentative deal have not been disclosed.
“This agreement represents a significant step forward for Manitoba teachers and the public education system as a whole,” says MTS President Nathan Martindale. “It sets a precedent for collaborative negotiation and ensures a fair and unified approach to addressing educators’ needs across the province.”
The tentative agreement, endorsed by the table team, impacts 16,000 public school educators, working at English school divisions, throughout Manitoba. Negotiations are ongoing for addendums specific to Frontier School Division, Manitoba Institute of Trades and Technology, and the School District of Mystery Lake.
Meanwhile, negotiations continue separately for educators under the Division scolaire franco-manitobaine (DSFM).