RENFREW, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - Sept. 24, 2012) - The members of the Ontario Secondary School Teachers' Federation (OSSTF/FEESO) District 28, Renfrew have voted in favour of a strike mandate. Members voted 95% in favour of a strike mandate.

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

Provincial OSSTF/FEESO Executive Officer Cindy Dubué stated, "The strike vote we have just taken is part of the normal bargaining process as recognized under the Ontario Labour Relations Act. It's not about wanting a strike. It is about using our rights recognized by law to bargain a collective agreement with the employer."

"It is clear that our members are not happy with the antics of the Liberal Government and they have given their negotiating teams a definitive mandate to find a solution to the problems created by Mr. McGuinty," said Jeffrey Barber, president of OSSTF/FEESO District 28. "We are continuing to exercise our rights to bargain collectively under the Ontario Labour Relations Act. We have a positive and productive working relationship with our employer and we look forward to working with the Renfrew County District School Board to achieve agreements that work for both sides."

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.