ARTICLE 10:00 – Meal Period

A Common -LRSD/LRTA - Understanding

Based on queries to the LRTA Office, and a shared belief in the importance of supporting a collegial culture, the Louis Riel School Division and the Louis Riel Teachers’ Association wish to ensure that all of the Division’s teaching staff interpret Article 10:00 - Meal Period of the Collective Agreement appropriately:

“Except in cases of emergency or unforeseen similar circumstances, every teacher shall be entitled to an uninterrupted meal period of fifty-five (55) minutes duration between 11:00 am and 2:00 pm daily.”

LRTA members who, in any fashion, exert pressure on other member colleagues to attend noon hour meetings essentially propose an action that would violate the Collective Agreement.  Accordingly, no member of the LRTA who abides by Article 10:00 and does not attend a noon hour meeting should be the focus of any behaviour that might be considered a reaction or repercussion for such a decision.  School administrators may choose to attend such meetings that may be initiated or arranged by teachers, and for which their presence is deemed helpful, but will neither initiate them, nor request that teacher colleagues initiate them.  Article 10:00 also states that:

“Designated professional staff will be on call during the lunch period to deal with emergencies and unforeseen similar circumstances.”
                                                                                                   
The Article includes a provision to allow the school administrator to schedule members of the teaching staff to be “on call” on a rotational basis, to address unforeseen circumstances or emergencies that might occur within the 55-minute meal period.  Therefore, “on call” teachers are not assigned direct supervision duties, answering telephones, heating meals or any other active duties during the 55-minute uninterrupted meal period guaranteed by Article 10.00 because these examples are not defined as unforeseen circumstances or emergencies. 

The Division and the Association concur in their understanding that, on rare occasion, the school administrator may request the assistance of a member (or members) of the teaching staff to respond to emergent matters for which a delayed response might present serious consequences, and appreciate the support of this understanding by members of the Association.

To assist further understanding, the Division and the Association negotiated and agreed to Article 10:00 to provide a 55-minute uninterrupted meal period for Association members.  The Division and the Association therefore agree that members must support colleagues, and the spirit and intent of the Collective Agreement, by safeguarding the rights of members to exercise personal choice about attending any meetings that colleagues suggest to occur during the meal period.

Terry Borys                                    Madeline McKenzie
Superintendent and CEO               President
Louis Riel School Division             Louis Riel Teachers’ Association