What can we do about OTPP?

Dear Colleagues:

The issue of the Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan valuation was widely discussed at our Teachers' Unit Council this week. It has also been a topic of discussion at other committee meetings and during school visits. We hope that you have been following the issue through Provincial Office mailings, Insight 21, and this website. Members have strongly indicated to us that they wish to take local action on this issue.

You will soon be receiving lobby/petition sheets in your school that we would encourage all teachers to fill-in and sign. These sheets send a strong message to politicians that we are unhappy with current pension legislation and the conservative method used to valuate our pension plan.

All completed sheets will be hand-delivered to Ted McMeekin and Sophia Aggelonitis, Liberal Members of Provincial Parliament, on Tuesday, October 7th's OSSTF Lobby Day. In addition, your release time officers will be contacting local opposition party MPPs in order to bring the issue to their attention. Finally, if needed, we will be asking individual members to send emails to their local MPPs. This information, when needed, will be available in October.

We strongly urge you to stay informed and educated on this issue and encourage colleagues to fill in the sheets. It is essential that all teachers are aware that the future benefits and costs of their pension could be at stake.

Your Branch President will be asked to collect all sheets and return the package to the District Office on or before October 2nd. If you are unavailable at your school during the time period your Branch President is collecting these sheets, or if you are someone who is part of the Ontario Teachers' Pension Plan and is retired, or not currently at a board worksite, you can download one here and drop off or mail it to the District Office.

If you require further information or assistance, please do not hesitate to contact us at 905-574-8285.

Yours in federation,

Chantal Mancini, President
Anthony Marco, 1st Vice President
Carl Chopp, Chief Negotiator