TORONTO -- The union representing Ontario English catholic teachers has reached a tentative agreement with the province after months-long talks.
The Ontario English Catholic Teachers' Association reached the agreement on Thursday, and announced that it will suspend all job action during the ratification process.
The union said that, at this time, the specifics of the tentative agreement remain confidential.
"In accordance with the association's ratification procedures, should the OECTA Provincial Executive and local unit presidents recommend approval, Catholic teachers will participate in a province-wide vote on April 7 and 8," the union said.
The union was back at the bargaining table for a fifth day Thursday after resuming talks last Friday. Negotiations broke down in early January between the government and the union, which represents over 45,000 Catholic teachers.
Negotiations started again with all major unions except the Ontario Secondary School Teachers' Federation after Education Minister Stephen Lecce made recent concessions on two key issues.
The government offered to increase average high school class sizes from 22 last year to 23 next year instead of the government's original target of 28, and allow an opt-out for e-learning courses it previously said would be mandatory.
OECTA is the first of the four major unions to reach a deal in a highly contentious round of bargaining.
— With files from The Canadian Press
