TORONTO

Toronto secondary school teachers are being given paid time off by their union to canvass for a slate of union-approved municipal candidates, the Toronto Sun has learned.

Teachers who canvass for two three-hour stints get a day off teaching. Their union, the Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation (OSSTF), reimburses the school board for their time.

The union representing Toronto’s public secondary school teachers confirmed teachers are being given paid “time release” to canvass for a union-backed list of school trustees, councillors and mayoralty candidates.

One teacher, who spoke to the Sun on condition of anonymity, said some teachers oppose the deal because they do not support the union-endorsed candidates.

“Yes, some members have received time release to work for candidates,” said District 12 (Toronto) OSSTF President Doug Jolliffe.

“This is allowable under the Election Act,” Jolliffe said by e-mail.

Asked which candidates received union support, he pointed to the OSSTF website.

“The list is on our website but be aware that not all candidates have OSSTF members working with them,” he said.

Toronto District School Board spokesman Ryan Bird confirmed teacher union contracts allow for them to take time out of the classroom for “union business.”

“There have been approximately 80 days of ‘federation leave’ over the last year as per the language in the OSSTF collective agreement,” said Bird. “As for what that union business pertains to, you would have to contact the union for that information.”

The 80 days figure is not up to date and does not include the most recent time taken.

Spokesmen for the umbrella provincial OSSTF and the Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario unions said they did not endorse candidates in this municipal election.

The union local representing Toronto elementary teachers has endorsed candidates for mayor, school board and council.

On its website, Elementary Teachers of Toronto praises Olivia Chow and slams John Tory, likening him to Doug Ford.

“He (Tory) says his policies are different than Doug Ford’s. But if elected, both intend to make cuts to important public services, those relied on by working families,” says the ETT website.

“John, like Doug, also seems to be labouring under the Beetlejuice principle. Just keep chanting the word ‘subways’ or in John’s case ‘SmartTrack’ and transit will appear out of thin air.”

Members of the ETT union executive did not return calls and e-mails requesting comment for this story and asking whether elementary teachers were being offered the same paid “time release” deal as their secondary school counterparts.

They, too, are permitted to take time out of the classroom for “union business under terms of their collective agreement.