CHRIS CHANDLER began teaching in 1997 as an Occasional Teacher with the legacy Toronto Board of Education, and has since been a Contract Teacher at Bloor CI, North Toronto CI, West Humber CI and Central Technical School. He was one of the founding teachers of the Law in Action Within Schools (LAWS) program, developed and taught an interdisciplinary martial arts and history program at Central Technical School, and was the Curriculum Leader of its English Department.
He began his work for OSSTF members in 1999 as a Co-Branch President at West Humber CI. He has held various branch executive positions, and became Branch President at Central Technical School in 2009. Before serving on the Executive, Chris worked locally on the TTBU Member Engagement Committee, the TTBU Budget and District Finance Committees, the D12 Communications Committee, and the TTBU Collective Bargaining Committee. Chris has also been a delegate to the OSSTF/FEESO Annual Meeting of the Provincial Assembly for many years, and a delegation whip.
Chris is currently a Provincial Councilor, a member of the OSSTF/FEESO Communications and Political Action Committee, a member of the Employee Life and Health Trust Advisory Work Group, a member of the OSSTF/FEESO Environmental Advisory Work Group, a member of the OSSTF/FEESO Organizing for Better Schools, Stronger Communities Work Group, and is the founding Labour Co-Chair of the TDSB Joint Management Labour Environment Committee, struck between the Board and OSSTF Toronto, the Elementary Teachers of Toronto, CUPE 4400 and the Maintenance and Construction Skilled Trades Council, to work on increasing the environmental sustainability of the Board’s operations. He is also the former Chair of the OSSTF/FEESO Health and Safety/Workplace Safety and Insurance Act Committee.
Outside his own union, Chris is a member of the Toronto and York Region Labour Council’s Environment Committee, the Ontario Federation of Labour’s Environment and Green Jobs Committee, and has represented the TDSB’s unionized workers on the City of Toronto’s Green Will Initiative. He also sits on the Board of Directors for TTCriders, a volunteer-led organization advocating for better public transit, and is a member of the advisory board for The Canadian Partnership for Children’s Health and Environment.
Chris was elected to the Executive in June 2015, and as Vice-President in June 2021.
Email: cchandler@osstftoronto.ca
Phone: 416 393 8900 ext. 241
Responsibilities
- Staffing Officer
- Grievance Officer
- New Teachers' Events
- Elections Commission Liaison
- Joint Management Labour Environment Committee Co-Chair (OSSTF, ETT, MCSTC, CUPE & TDSB)
- TTBU Annual Celebration Dinner (May) Co-coordinator
- District Celebration Dinner (June) Co-coordinator
- Labour Day Parade Co-coordinator
- TTBU Alternate Heath & Safety Inspector
- Communications/Social Media/Media Relations Liaison (back up)
- Community Relations Liaison (back up)
- Coaches' Association Liaison (back up)
- Campaign for Public Education Liaison (back up)
- Communications and Political Action Committee (back up)