The union representing thousands of Ontario high school teachers will hold strike votes in the coming weeks, blaming the Progressive Conservative government for what it calls a failure to address key issues in contratct talks. Ontario Secondary School Teachers' Federation president Harvey Bischof said voting will begin Oct. 22 and finish Nov. 15. He says the government is refusing to deal with substantive issues at the bargaining table, and will not discuss important issues like staffing levels in schools.
"After five days of bargaining in total ... the government and school boards have refused to engage in any substantive discussions," he said.
Bischof said more bargaining dates are scheduled later this month and in early November, but noted the strike vote doesn't necessarily mean teachers will walk off the job.
"Lest anybody believe we are signalling some break off of negotiations, no, that's not the case at all," he said.
Contracts for most of Ontario's education sector workers expired on Aug. 31 and negotiations are at various stages. Education Minister Stephen Lecce's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
OSSTF represents more than 5000 teachers and support workers in Ottawa's public school board. The union does not represent any teachers or workers in Ottawa's Catholic school board.
Ontario's Education Minister urged unions to work with the government in 'good faith'. "Strike action disproportionately hurts our kids, especially the most vulnerable in our classrooms. My message to our labour partners is to always put kids first", said Stephen Lecce.
Last week, the government reached a deal with CUPE, which represents 55,000 education workers, after the union gave a strike notice. Under the tentative agreement, CUPE agreed to a one per cent wage increase and gained millions in funding to restore as many as 1,500 jobs cut by the Tories. Finance Minister Rod Phillips has said that the province plans to stick to its plan to cap public sector wage increases as it enters key contract talks with teachers. Bischof said the government is refusing to engage in meaningful discussions about some of the most important issues, including staffing levels in schools.
