JoAnne Maher - Occasional Teacher Representative 2019-2022 for TSU

A huge thanks and full credit goes to TSU Occasional Teacher Representative JoAnne Maher, for all her hard work in securing benefits for Toronto OTs for this year!

Today is Voting Day for all TSU OTs Remember to exercise your right to vote
Re Elect JoAnne Maher as TSU OTR

Voting is open 8 - 6 TSU Executive
Vote Wisely Vote JoAnne Maher OTR

With all due respect ...
I have kept silent about certain posts because I did not believe the comments made by an individual(s) deserve a response, as their words are filled with errors, falsehoods, and absolute lies about me. They are words that truly do not deserve a response...but if anyone knows me, knows that I will NOT stand idly by and allow anyone to say such things about me.

I cannot understand how anyone could possibly write that I have no ideas about Occasional Teachers or that I have never put Occasional Teachers first, when my record of dedicated committed service for OTs speaks for itself.

For the past 22 years, I have counselled, advised, and assisted occasional members to stand up to against harassment and bullying and to STAND UP for JUSTICE AND FAIRNESS. It is now my time to stand up to the negative campaigning techniques and words that have been cast upon me.

So here it is:

I am PROUD of being an Occasional Teacher and of all that I have accomplished in the last 22 years as an elected executive member of TOTL (councillor, vice president, president). I am proud of what WE, the occasional teachers have accomplished over the past 22 years.

• Bargained 6 Collective Agreements, all of which, responded to the needs of OCCASIONAL TEACHERS
• Bargained fully paid Benefits for Toronto Occasional Teachers
• Bargained Paid Professional Development Days for Occasional Teachers
• Bargained increased salaries during local bargaining prior to Provincial Bargaining
• Bargained under conservative and liberal provincial governments
• Protected the rights of Occasional Teachers under the Collective Agreement
• Speak passionately about the Occasional Teachers needs across the Province at provincial meetings
• Speak passionately about Occasional Teachers being given the RESPECT WE DESERVE, in class, by the board, and within OECTA.

I have served you the Occasional Teachers with PASSION, CONVICTION, STRENGTH, AND TRUTH.

I have PROTECTED the RIGHTS of OCCASIONAL TEACHERS FOR THE PAST 22 YEARS AND IT HAS BEEN MY PRIVILEGE TO DO SO.

For 22 YEARS, I HAVE PUT OCCASIONAL TEACHERS FIRST both locally and provincially. FAIRNESS and JUSTICE is what I believe and my actions always speak for themselves.

I have the KNOWLEDGE, the HISTORY, and the UNDERSTANDING of issues, concerns, and questions facing SECONDARY OCCASIONAL TEACHERS in today's education climate.

This past year, I have been very effective in ADVISING, ASSISTING, and EDUCATING the TSU Executive about all issues relating to Occasional Teachers during this transitional year of amalgamation.

IT IS IMPORTANT TO ENSURE THE SECONDARY OCCASIONAL TEACHERS' HARD EARNED RIGHTS ARE PROTECTED FROM INDIVIDUALS WHO HAVE HAD ABSOLUTELY NO EXPERIENCE IN SERVICING THE NEEDS OF SECONDARY OCCASIONAL TEACHERS.

I continue today to ADVOCATE, PROMOTE, AND RESPECT for SECONDARY OCCASIONAL TEACHERS in achieving better working conditions and ensuring that OUR rights are upheld.

I CONTINUE TODAY TO ADVOCATE AND PROMOTE RESPECT FOR OCCASIONAL TEACHERS in achieving the BETTER WORKING CONDITIONS AND ENSURING THAT THEIR RIGHTS ARE UPHELD.

To those people who want to continue to throw negative comments and untruths my way, I SAY:

My name is Jo Anne Maher

I AM PROUD TO BE AN OCCASIONAL TEACHER!

I CARE ABOUT OCCASIONAL TEACHERS!

I PASSIONATELY WORK TO PROTECT OUR RIGHTS!

I STAND ON MY RECORD!

I TRUST THAT THIS CLARIFIES MY STANCE.

I AM HERE TO WORK FOR SECONDARY OCCASIONAL TEACHERS!

Good morning TSUOECTA Occasional Teachers
Such a beautiful, sunny, glorious day.
Get your vitamin D today but remember to be safe, social distancing is a must.

Just a gentle reminder On May 28 RE-Elect me, JoAnne Maher, as your TSU OTR. Your own personal pin number, for voting purposes, was sent to your .ca email

Haven't activated your tsuoecta.ca email? Just go to the www.tsuoecta.org website, click on the members' section, follow the instructions and you are then registered to vote.

When Experience Matters, go with a Strong Voice for OTs

22 years serving the needs of OTs

TSU OTs
Have you activated your TSUOECTA.CA account ?
Did you get your PIN number for voting May 28th ?

Remember "when experience matters"
Re Elect JoAnne Maher as your OTR

Thanks to all TSU members who 'Zoomed' into our first-ever virtual UAGM. It was an interesting experience ..something new to many of us. Unfortunately, because of time restraints there was not enough time to have many questions asked. So I will take this opportunity to state my thoughts about grievances... reason, writing, discussion, resolution, mediation, and arbitration

My experience, with grievances over the past 22 years as an Executive Member of TOTBU has been as follows

Any member has the right to ask for a grievance to be written. The Grievance Officer then looks at the concern in question. The Executive then decides whether or not there is in fact a grievance. If there is, then a grievance is written and sent to Provincial to assign a number to it. Once this is done, then the unit meets with the board, once or twice hoping to resolve the grievance. If this does not happen, then Provincial becomes involved in the next steps, discussion, mediation, and/or arbitration.

The writing of grievances, meetings held at the TCDSB, and sometimes meetings with legal counsel, followed by possible mediation/ arbitration is not something learned in a two-hour or one-day workshop. It takes a solid working knowledge of the Collective Agreement, an understanding of how to actually write a grievance, and the skill to meet, discuss and resolve the grievance in order for the Grievance Process to work for the benefits of the member.

What a historic night the first UAGM for TSU on zoom. Thank you to all who made it possible. Best of luck to my fellow candidates as we embark in the last week of the campaign.

I believe there is still work to be done that is why I am here to WORK FOR YOU