Food programs at some GTA schools are being cancelled as a result of escalated job action by the union representing school support workers in Ontario.

On Tuesday, the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), representing 55,000 education workers in the province, launched "Phase 2" of its work-to-rule campaign. The announcement came with a list of 30 to 35 specific duties school support workers were instructed to no longer perform as part of the job action, including handling money.

As a result, initiatives such as breakfast programs, pizza days and any other events that require the collection of money are being cancelled at the Peel Region District School Board. It's a similar situation at some schools in York Region and Toronto.

If money has already been collected for an event, then it will continue as normal.

Other paid activities such as field trips could be affected as a result of the job action.

On Wednesday, the York Region District School Board sent out a letter warning parents about the cancelled services.

"The York Region District School Board is undertaking all possible measure to minimize the impact of labour sanctions on students and their families," school board officials said in the letter, adding that "the job actions are a result of the bargaining process at the provincial level and Board employees are required to follow the direction of their provincial federations/unions."

Other CUPE labour actions include no longer sweeping hallways or entrances and not cutting grass or clearing leaves from school property. Custodial workers have also been advised not to participate in compost programs or clean pencil sharpeners, whiteboards and chalkboards and clerical employees were told not to enter staff absences, complete surveys, perform any repairs or attend staff meetings unless during paid time.

The Government of Ontario has condemned the labour sanctions, saying they compromise student safety.

"We tried very, very hard to keep the schools open, but there is a line where people cross where health and safety becomes an issue and that’s what we look at very carefully," said Ontario Education Minister Liz Sandals, in reference to custodians not sweeping hallways or entrances. "We do understand the importance of keeping elementary schools open if reasonably possible."

Meanwhile, the union representing elementary school teachers in the province continues its own work-to-rule campaign.

The Elementary Teachers Federation of Ontario is currently in "Phase 3" of its campaign.

As of Sept. 21, the union's 78,000 teachers and occasional teachers will:

  • Not fill in for an absent teacher or take on additional students if a class is collapsed because an occasional teacher has not been retained
  • Not take on additional duties during regularly scheduled preparation time (including teaching in another class)
  • Not participate in teacher performance appraisal meetings, unless the member is on an improvement plan or long-term occasional assignment
  • Not respond to email, electronic or phone communication from administrators unless it involves the safety of others, absences, day plans or occasional teacher assignments
  • Not update classroom websites, blogs or newsletters
  • Not submit any long-range or short-range plans, or literacy and numeracy block plans
  • Not update Individual Education Plans (IEPs) after the 30th day of school deadline
  • Not participate in any in-school meetings or professional learning activities on PA days, opting instead to use the time for their own professional development within the classroom
  • Not prepare report card comments or complete or package progress reports, though they will provide administrators with a hard copy list of learning skills and work habits ratings
  • Not conduct parent interview related to the progress report cards, unless there are concerns identified by the teacher about a child's progress
  • Not act as division chairs or team leads

Teachers will take part in "Wynne Wednesdays" once a week, and will:

  • Refrain from any activities that take them away from their classrooms
  • Demonstrate union solidarity by wearing ETFO buttons, caps or T-shirts, or a union colour
  • Send messages to the Minister of Education or the Ontario Public School Board Association (OPSBA) about the importance of "fair and reasonable collective bargaining"
  • Engage in planned lobbying activities including pickets, rallies and letter-writing campaigns.

The union is set to resume talks with the province once a date is determined, but is threatening to begin rotating one-day strikes.

With a report from Naomi Parness