This is what happens next after Ontario education workers vote to strike
Ontario education workers have voted overwhelmingly in favour of a strike if negotiations with the province continue to stall but many parents and school staff may be wondering what comes next.
On Monday, the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) announced that employees—including custodians, early childhood educators and school administration staff—voted 96.5 per cent in favour of the action.
So, what happens now?
A vote to strike does not mean that education staff will be on the picket lines straight away. Parents should not expect any immediate disruption in class activities or school schedules.
A strike vote is part of a process that will allow workers to legally take collective work action in the future. If negotiations end up in a stalemate, this gives CUPE the option to start a 17-day strike or lockout countdown in an effort to move bargaining forward.
The union must also give five days’ notice before starting any job action, including a work-to-rule campaign, a lockout or a strike.
The last time education workers negotiated their collective agreements with the Ontario government in 2019, a breakdown of a last-minute mediation resulted in a work-to-rule campaign. During the campaign, there was a partial withdrawal of services performed by support staff, including the cleaning of hallways, gyms and offices, as well as garbage pickup outside of school.
A five-day notice of a province-wide strike was issued a few days later, and a tentative deal was reached after some last minute negotiations.
The government is scheduled to sit down with the union again on Oct. 17 and Oct. 18. However, if no changes are made to wages in the offer, it is unclear if much headway will be made.
CUPE is asking for a wage increase of $3.25 per hour, or an annual increase of about 11.7 per cent. They argue that since salary increases have been capped at one per cent due to Bill 124 for the last three years, this kind of raise is necessary to keep up with inflation.
The government, however, has offered workers making less than $40,000 a year a two per cent raise and everyone else a 1.25 per cent raise for the next four years.
CUPE is also asking for 30 more minutes of paid preparation time each day, five additional paid days prior to the school year and an increase in overtime pay.
With files from Siobhan Morris and the Canadian Press
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Budget 2024 prioritizes housing while taxing highest earners, deficit projected at $39.8B
In an effort to level the playing field for young people, in the 2024 federal budget, the government is targeting Canada's highest earners with new taxes in order to help offset billions in new spending to enhance the country's housing supply and social supports.
BUDGET 2024 Feds cutting 5,000 public service jobs, looking to turn underused buildings into housing
Five thousand public service jobs will be cut over the next four years, while underused federal office buildings, Canada Post properties and the National Defence Medical Centre in Ottawa could be turned into new housing units, as the federal government looks to find billions of dollars in savings and boost the country's housing portfolio.
Some of the winners and losers in the 2024 federal budget
With a variety of fiscal and policy measures announced in the federal budget, winners include small businesses and fintech companies while losers include the tobacco industry and Canadian pension funds.
From housing initiatives to a disability benefit, how the federal budget impacts you
From plans to boost new housing stock, encourage small businesses, and increase taxes on Canada’s top-earners, CTVNews.ca has sifted through the 416-page budget to find out what will make the biggest difference to your pocketbook.
Toronto police arrest several people at rail line protest
Several people have been arrested at a pro-Palestinian demonstration in the city’s west end that blocked rail lines for hours Tuesday.
500 Newfoundlanders wound up on the same cruise and it turned into a rocking kitchen party
A Celebrity Apex cruise to the Caribbean this month turned into a rocking Newfoundland kitchen party when hundreds of people from Canada's easternmost province happened to be booked on the same ship.
Teen hockey players arrested for sexual assault following hazing incident: Manitoba RCMP
Three teenagers were arrested in connection with a pair of alleged hazing incidents on a Manitoba hockey team, police say.
B.C. killer seeks to attend sentencing by video as lawyer cites safety concerns
A defence lawyer for Ibrahim Ali, who was convicted of first-degree murder of a 13-year-old girl in Burnaby, B.C., says the man wants to appear at his sentencing hearing by video over fear for his safety.
Lululemon unveils first summer kit for Canada's Olympic and Paralympic teams
Lululemon showed off its collection for the Summer Olympics and Paralympics on Tuesday at the Liberty Grand entertainment complex. Athletes sported a variety of selections during a fashion show that featured garments to be worn on the podium, during opening and closing ceremonies, media interviews and daily life on the ground in France.