Get to Know Cindy

Cindy is a natural leader who is dedicated to building relationships and fostering collaboration; strong communication skills and her ability to listen and respond to the needs of others make her an ideal candidate for the role of OSSTF/FEESO Executive Officer.

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Effective

In the 2020 round of bargaining, significant gains were achieved for our members, including the ability to work from home during exams and improved pro-rating for our part-time members. Cindy worked closely with the Chief Negotiator to ensure members had many opportunities to provide feedback on their priorities and that they were respected and heard at the bargaining table.

In the 2023 round of bargaining we gained for our members, including more experience credit for the approximately 50% of our members who are still moving on the grid, shortened staff meetings, and part-time members completely pro-rated on extra ‘jobs’. Cindy worked closely with the Chief Negotiator to ensure members had many opportunities to provide feedback on their priorities and that they were respected and heard at the bargaining table.  

As the First Vice President of the Oakville District Labour Council (ODLC) Cindy organized the rally outside of Ford Fest. She worked with community and labour groups and there were approximately 200 people rallying and approximately 10 speakers from community to labour leaders. She also worked on the organizing committee that planned the first ODLC Labour Day Picnic. Cindy was an integral part of the planning of the ODLC's Education Forum.

One of the actions Cindy is most proud of is engaging members in their union firsts. For example, Cindy has lead many of her members in their first rally, their first strike, their first AMPA and their first time canvasing for political candidate. Cindy has been the lead of many delegations to lobby MPPs in their riding offices and at Queen's Park; many of these delegations had members lobbying for the first time.

Cindy lead the political actions when the Board had 154 potentially redundant teachers through the  staffing process, this included:  rallies outside the MPP Offices, actions outside the MPP offices to show what 154 fewer teachers looks like, meetings with the MPP with her District President colleagues, letter writing campaign and social media posts. All but two members of the 154 were given their position back at the start of the school year (the two were called back later in the year).

Cindy was the District Lead and during our 2018 -2020 job and strike Cindy organized a petition to demand lower class sizes and MPP Mike Schriener accepted the petition to bring to the legislature. 

Cindy supported equity deserving members in forming the TBU Indigenous, Black and Racialized Voice Committee and the Sexual Orientation Gender Inclusive Committee. 

Cindy has been the political action lead for the District for 10 years and includes her District President colleagues in any political actions and any support for Halton candidates, such as in the 2018 and 2022 Provincial Elections and the 2024 Milton by-election. This included messaging to members, canvassing and inviting candidates to Pints and Politics, Politics and Paint Night and the creation of a questionnaire that was sent to candidates. Cindy also planned activities around the Trustee elections. She also included her Union President counterparts in the Halton District School Board.

Cindy supported the TBU Executive in forming a Staff Officer Equity and Wellness full time release position. This was after feedback from equity deserving members who did not feel seen, safe, welcome or included in their Union.
 

Experience

Cindy has been in publicly funded education for over 20 years. Currently, she is in her eighth year as the Teachers’ Bargaining Unit (TBU) President and third year as District President for District 20, Halton, supporting approximately 1400 members. Working with her three Bargaining Unit President colleagues they work together in D20 to engage the approximately 2000 members. Before Cindy was elected TBU President she was TBU Vice President for two years, and a Branch President for three years.

Before Cindy worked to put herself through university and teacher’s college, she first earned her college diploma. At the time university seemed out of reach and too expensive. While earning her Social Services Worker diploma she worked almost full-time hours at Kentucky Fried Chicken. The diploma supported Cindy as she began working for Peterborough Community Living in a high needs, behaviour group home, she also worked for Hasting Community Living and did respite care for children coming out of secure custody.  She began her career in education as an Educational Assistant with the Peterborough, Victoria, Northumberland and Clarington Catholic School Board, where she was a member of CUPE. Having worked in both the elementary and secondary panel as an Educational Assistant she still held her desire to be a teacher and knew that she wanted to be a high school teacher. Cindy continued to work three jobs, trading out the respite care to waitress, to put herself through Trent University and then Teachers College at York University. She then began her teaching career with the Halton District School Board.

While Cindy has been actively involved with OSSTF/FEESO she has served a term on the Provincial Communications Political Action Committee, has been the Provincial Council (PC) Liaison to many Provincial Committees including the Educational Services Committee , Health and Safety/Workplace Safety Insurance Act Committee, Human Rights and Equity Committee (to name a few) and is currently the PC Liaison to the Protective Services Committee. Cindy is the District Lead Organizer and has been the District Lead for all strike and job action in the eight years she’s been TBU President. Lobbying the Board and Halton MPPs has been a passion as Cindy works with her District President colleagues to push for the support their members need in HDSB schools. She is an active member at Provincial Council asking questions and bringing her members’ concerns forward at the mic. Being Chair of Sector Caucus for three years, including now engages Cindy in the issues and concerns from across the Province. This year will be Cindy’s 18th consecutive AMPA, and she has been the AMPA District Lead for seven years. 

enGAGEd

Cindy created the TBU Facebook, Instagram and X account where members can find current and timely TBU information, OSSTF/FEESO Provincial shares and general labour activities.  
Cindy created the TBU website, with input from her Executive, so that it was more dynamic and easier to find relevant information and documents.
She created a TBU Podcast 60  with Cindy so members can get the information in 60 seconds or less, and then look to the all member messages Cindy regularly sends out and the monthly TBU Newsletter for further information.

Cindy organized Bargaining Bites with the Political Action Committee during both rounds of bargaining so members had this option to provide input. 

Cindy is an active member of Justice for Workers and participates in their meetings and initiatives around organizing workers to support better wages, health and safety and less precarious working conditions.

She is an active member of the Guelph Wellington Coalition for Social Justice and volunteers at the Big Umbrella Table at the Guelph Saturday Farmers Market when she can. The table allows for conversations to promote social justice causes and funding for public services. She also volunteers at The Mission in serving meals to members of the community who are underhoused, struggling with affordability, and/or addiction and mental health.

Cindy created the ODLC Instagram and Facebook page and runs these to promote the ODLC, workers, and labour.  

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