A local representative of the Elementary Teachers' Federation of Ontario (ETFO) is hopeful the next step, conciliation, will be the light at the end of the tunnel for the union and a new contract.

Krista Pedersen, president of Upper Grand ETFO, claims a slow pace during bargaining led to the union's application for conciliation with the minister of labour. The process will involve a third party helping both sides work towards a solution. The ETFO have been without a contract for over a year now.

Nonetheless, Pedersen says students within the Upper Grand District School Board should be expecting to sharpen their pencils and open their notebooks next Tuesday.

"Are kids slated to go back day one within the board? Absolutely. No job action has been directed at this point. ETFO's putting its focus on conciliation right now," Pedersen explained.

"We're hoping that the mutual third party such as the conciliation officer will help us explore options to make progress and achieve fair collective agreement," she stated.

Pedersen added funding is a large issue, that affects more than just the teachers throughout the board.

"These are our best tools to apply pressure to the government to address the staffing crisis in education, and special education underfunding," Pedersen pointed out.

"It really does come down to money in a lot of cases and when the education system isn't funded properly, or fully - that impacts not only our education workers and teachers, but absolutely our students," she said.

Pedersen added until pending strike votes occur in the coming months, there will be no work action.

She maintains there is a good relationship between Upper Grand ETFO and the school board.

ETFO’s targets are located on their website, and teacher workload and working conditions are main goals.

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