TIMMINS, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - Sept. 27, 2012) - Members of the Educational Assistants (EA), Occasional Teachers (OT), Professional Student Services Personnel (PSSP) and Teachers Bargaining Units of the Ontario Secondary School Teachers' Federation (OSSTF/FEESO) District 1, Ontario North East, have all voted in favour of a strike mandate at meetings held recently.

The members of the Bargaining Units are employed with the Ontario North East District School Board (ONEDSB).

The EA Bargaining Unit voted 90% in favour of a strike mandate, the OT Bargaining Unit voted 92% in favour of a strike mandate, the PSSP Bargaining Unit voted 93% in favour of a strike mandate and the Teacher Bargaining Unit voted 94% in favour of a strike mandate.

These strike votes are a normal part of the legal process recognized by the Ontario Labour Relations Act. All these Bargaining Units' current contracts expired on August 31.

Scott Marshall, Executive Officer with the OSSTF/FEESO stated that, "Regardless of the job class, all our members in the District have provided their local and provincial leaders with a clear mandate in any future negotiations and through this exercise demonstrated their belief in an ability to freely bargain with their direct employer."

JP Desilets, OSSTF/FEESO District 1 President stated, "Our members have shown that they are united in moving forward in a constructive round of negotiations with our school board. They understand the process and have provided their leaders with a very strong and clear message."

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.