SAULT STE. MARIE, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - Sept. 25, 2012) - The Teacher and Occasional Teacher Bargaining Units of the Ontario Secondary School Teachers' Federation (OSSTF/FEESO) District 2 - Algoma have voted 95% and 89% respectively in favour of a strike mandate at a meeting held yesterday.

The contracts between OSSTF/FEESO and the school board expired on August 31st, and the taking of a strike vote is a normal part of the legal process recognized by the Ontario Labour Relations Act.

OSSTF/FEESO Provincial Treasurer Earl Burt stated, "Our final goal is to negotiate a collective agreement with the local school boards. These members have shown outstanding support for their local negotiating team and a clear rejection of the unfair terms that Premier McGuinty is trying to impose by not respecting their constitutional rights to free collective bargaining."

OSSTF/FEESO District 2 President, Sharon Indrevold stated that the negotiations process has been both challenging and frustrating this time around due to the continued interference by the McGuinty Government in the bargaining process. She continued to say that members believe in a locally negotiated solution and the Federation will continue to work with the Algoma District School Board to get an agreement.

OSSTF/FEESO, founded in 1919, has 60,000 members across Ontario. They include public high school teachers, occasional teachers, educational assistants, continuing education teachers and instructors, early childhood educators, psychologists, secretaries, speech-language pathologists, social workers, plant support personnel, university support staff, and many others in education.