Toronto: Teachers and education workers represented by the Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation (OSSTF/FEESO) will take part in another one-day, full withdrawal of services in selected locations across Ontario on Wednesday, December 18.
On the same day, OSSTF/FEESO members in other school boards will hold information pickets in front of schools, at MPPs’ offices, and in other locations throughout the province, said a media release.
These actions follow a one-day, province-wide walkout on December 4, and a one-day walkout in select areas in Ontario on December 11. A limited withdrawal of services, which began on November 26, will continue province-wide.
“Since our last bargaining date on Tuesday, December 3, we have seen no change in the Minister of Education’s agenda of increasing class sizes, forcing e-learning on our high school students, and continuing the funding cuts that take valuable support staff and services out of our schools,” said OSSTF/FEESO President Harvey Bischof.
“We’re obligated to provide five days of notice in advance of any work action, and that is what we are doing today. We are hopeful that the Minister is ready to get serious about bargaining next week, to come to the table in good faith and reverse his government’s devastating cuts to our students’ education system. That’s what this fight is about, what it has always been about; this government’s cuts to education will affect our students for not just one day, but for generations to come.
“We hope that the Ford government is ready to negotiate a fair deal. A deal that is good for students, good for education workers, good for teachers, and good for our province. But if not, we’re ready to fight for their future, and we will use every tool available to us to do so,” concluded Bischof.
OSSTF/FEESO has over 60,000 members across Ontario.
In response, Stephen Lecce, Minister of Education, said: “OSSTF union leadership have made clear that they will continue to take job action—which hurts students most—unless taxpayers accept their demand of $7 billion in enhancements to salaries, benefits, and other entitlements.
“If there were any question that this wasn’t about salary, those doubts were put to bed when the four teacher unions launched their challenge to legislation that deals with compensation increases for the public service.
“We have made a reasonable offer on compensation – a $750 million increase in compensation for the second highest paid educators in the country.
“We are calling on OSSTF to cease from continued job action, accept our offer of private mediation, stay at the table, and focus on improving learning in the classroom, not enhancing compensation for their members,” Lecce said.
ALSO READ: