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About Us

The OSSTF District 19 Teacher Bargaining Unit represents, negotiates, and advocates on behalf of Secondary Teachers in the Peel District School Board

 

As a strong, effective union OSSTF District 19 works with members, the employer, and the communities we serve and to which we belong to:
1. Protect and enhance publicly-funded education in Peel and Ontario
2. Ensure that schools are equitable and safe places for staff and students
3. Bargain contracts that protect and improve working conditions
4. Offer professional growth and development

Founded in 1919, OSSTF/FEESO represents approximately 60 000 education workers throughout Ontario. The union works to protect its diverse membership which is represented by 140 bargaining units across the province. For more information about OSSTF/FEESO at the provincial level, please visit www.osstf.on.ca

We have also created a New Member Package that contains many more details about your Union, District and Bargaining Unit. Members can download it here:

New Member Package 2023-24
 
 

Pride 2023


Protecting and Enhancing Public Education


As a union that represents education workers across Ontario, OSSTF is a strong voice in support of a research-based approach to education policy in this province. Our advocacy goes beyond simply demanding more for our members, but includes fighting to protect and enhance public education in Peel and across Ontario. We have a world-class public education system, and we must fight to protect it.

Pride 2023


Equitable and Safe Schools


It is essential that our public schools provide equitable learning environments for both staff and students. OSSTF District 19 supports an anti-racist and anti-oppression approach to learning and working in Peel schools. Staff and students should always feel welcome and safe in our public schools.

bargainingfored


Bargaining to Protect and Improve Working Conditions


There are currently thousands of qualified teachers in the province of Ontario who are choosing not to work in the field of education. We do not have a shortage of teachers, but we do have a shortage of highly educated professionals who are willing to work for school boards that don't value their employees. OSSTF District 19 advocates for better compensation and working conditions for teachers in Peel in order to ensure that our schools can attract and retain the best educators in the province.

Advocacy to Activism


Professional Growth and Development


OSSTF District 19 offers training to members on topics such as Contract Maintenance, Advocacy to Activism and Dismantling Anti-Black Racism in our public schools. We also support members with funding for professional development related to their teaching practice via our Short Term Professional Development Leave (STPDL) committee.

Your 2024-25 TBU Executive






Time-Release Officers (working full-time at the D19 Office)

2025 Nicola Allison

President:

Nicola Allison

nallison@osstfd19.ca

 

Nicola is the Liaison

Officer for the

following schools: 


Applewood Heights

Brampton Centennial

Cawthra Park

Glenforest

Mississauga

Rick Hansen

Streetsville

Turner Fenton

2025 Aaron Gervais

Vice-President:

Aaron Gervais

agervais@osstfd19.ca

 

Aaron is the Liaison

Officer for the following schools: 


CBO

Central Peel

Chinguacousy

David Suzuki

Fletcher's Meadow

Heart Lake

Jean Augustine

North Park

Parkholme

PAS North and South

Roy McMurtry (PAS Central)



2025 Dorothy Melville

Vice-President:

Dorothy Melville

dmelville@osstfd19.ca


Dorothy is the Liaison Officer for the following schools:


Applewood Acres

Clarkson

Erindale

John Fraser

Lorne Park

Meadowvale

Port Credit

Stephen Lewis

TL Kennedy

West Credit

The Woodlands

2025 Kelly Bevan

Chief Negotiator:

Kelly Bevan

kbevan@osstfd19.ca


Kelly is the Liaison Officer for the following schools:


Adult Day

Bramalea

Castlebrooke

Harold Brathwaite

Humberview

Judith Nyman

Lincoln M. Alexander

Louise Arbour

Mayfield

PVSS

Sandalwood


2025 Rich Arulsuthan

Anti-Racism  Intersectional Officer:

Rich Arulsuthan

rarulsuthan@osstfd19.ca


Rich is also a D19 TBU Equity, Anti-Racism and Anti-Oppression Officer and supports members experiencing equity, racism or oppression in the workplace. 

2025 Dave Finlay

Benefits and Retirement Counsellor:

Dave Finlay

dfinlay@osstfd19.ca


Dave supports members who need assistance in dealing with the Board's Abilities Department, in accessing leaves or benefits, and members who have questions about retirement. 

2025 Francis Manyanga

Dismantling Anti-Black Racism Training Officer:

Francis Manyanga

fmanyanga@osstfd19.ca


Francis is responsible for the development and organization of dismantling anti-Black racism and anti-oppression training for members of the union executives and branch executives. Francis is also a D19 TBU Equity, Anti-Racism and Anti-Oppressions Officer.

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Joint Staffing Chair:

Christine Houthuyzen

chouthuyzen@osstfd19.ca


Christine works with the Board's Manager of Staffing to ensure that schools are allocated appropriate numbers of teachers and that class size caps are upheld. 

Racism Reporting Officer:

Vacant

The Racism Reporting Officer supports all Black and racialized members who experience or witness racism, including, but not limited to member-to-member facilitation, mediation with board Human Resources departments, and Grievance committees. The RRO also collects and analyzes data on incidents of racism in order to identify next steps and potential sources of bias in reporting and resolutions.

Non Time-Release Members of Executive (Current Classroom Teachers)

2025 Ann Bartok-Venetis

Provincial Councillor:

Ann Bartok-Venetis


Ann represents D19 TBU members at OSSTF's Provincial Council (OSSTF's governing body between Annual Meetings of the Provincial Assembly), which meets 5 times per year.


2025 Brian Grandy

Provincial Councillor:

Brian Grandy


Brian represents D19 TBU members at OSSTF's Provincial Council (OSSTF's governing body between Annual Meetings of the Provincial Assembly), which meets 5 times per year.


2025 Robert Deonarine

Executive Officer:

Robert Deonarine


Robert attends regular meetings of the PDSB and reports back to TBU Council and Executive on issues relevant to the membership.

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Communications & Political Action Chair:

Vacant

cpac@osstfd19.ca


The Communications & Political Action Chair chairs the committee that plans and organizes rallies, campaign support, canvassing, and other political action events in support of public education and creates the D19 TBU newsletter, "The Appeel".

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Dismantling Anti-Black Racism Action Committee Chair:

Vacant

dabrac@osstfd19.ca


The DABRAC Chair chairs the committee that advises the TBU and organizes events in support of dismantling anti-Black racism.

2025 Celine McDonald

Education Services, Awards & Recognition Chair:

Celine McDonald

esar@osstfd19.ca      


Celine chairs the committee that organizes professional development workshops, the Student Achievement Awards and the Teacher Recognition Awards.

2025 Ricky Viveiros

Environmental Justice & Human Rights Chair:

Ricky Viveiros

ejhr@osstfd19.ca      


Ricky chairs the committee that responsible for advising and advocating to make the D19 TBU a more environmentally-friendly union in addition to advising the D19 TBU on human rights issues and organizes events and fundraisers in support of human rights causes.

2025 Scott Tremblay

Health & Safety Chair:

Scott Tremblay

healthandsafety@osstfd19.ca


Scott chairs the committee that oversees health and safety practices in our schools, and also sits on the Multi-Joint Health and Safety Committee with the PDSB and unions that represent other job classes in the PDSB.

2025 Alanna Grant

Status of Women Chair:

Alanna Grant

statusofwomen@osstfd19.ca   


Alanna chairs the committee that advocates for all women and women-identified members by providing support and education on local, provincial and global issues affecting women.

District 19 Administrative Staff


Meaghan Ulla - Office Manager

mulla@osstfd19.ca


Toni Pellegrino - Administrative Assistant

tpellegrino@osstfd19.ca