Dear Sisters and Brothers:
Once again, District Council 46 is presenting two scholarships to be made available to the children and grandchildren of our membership. I have been an advocate of education, whether it is within our working family by way of apprenticeship or skills upgrading, or externally by post-secondary institutions. Training and education is provided to our membership through our training facilities which is financially assisted by government and negotiated collective agreements. Extending financial opportunities to our members’ families with the availability of a scholarship award will assist our members at a time of rising costs to post-secondary education.
A scholarship committee of members from your local union have accepted to volunteer in awarding two scholarship awards of $2000.00 each to the institution of choice for a member’s child or grandchild.
To win one of the scholarship awards, the applicant must submit an essay of not less than 1,000 words and not more than 2,000 words on the specific topic below:
In September 2012, the Ontario Provincial Government passed the Putting Students First Act, 2012 (the ‘PSFA’)which legislated employment terms and conditions on virtually all employees employed in the public education sector in Ontario, including eliminating the right to strike and lock-out. As well,the legislation gave the Ontario government alone the right to set wages and working conditions for teachers without letting bargaining run its course and without neutral arbitration.
What are the implications of this legislation on trade unions and for the trade union movement overall? Consider such factors as whether the legislation is an attack on free collective bargaining rights and other union rights, whether it conflicts with the Charter of Rights and Freedoms and whether such legislation is undemocratic.
If there is interest in applying for one of the awards, please click here for an application form. The application forms must be returned to our office by no later than June 7, 2013.
I sincerely hope we are able to assist the education needs of our members, and I am looking forward to your response.
Fraternally Yours,
Joseph Russo, Business Manager/Secretary-Treasurer
