Ontario education workers in legal strike position in 17 days
About 55,000 education workers in Ontario, such as custodians, early childhood educators and administration staff, will be in a legal strike position as of Nov. 3, the Canadian Union of Public Employees said Monday.
CUPE has not indicated if education workers would engage in a full strike - which could potentially close schools - or start with a work-to-rule campaign, or take some other course of action at that point.
There are still talks in progress with the assistance of a mediator, with three days of bargaining scheduled between Monday and Wednesday. During the last round of contract negotiations, in 2019, CUPE and the government reached a last-minute deal the day before workers had been set to go on strike.
- Download our app to get local alerts to your device
- Get the latest local updates right to your inbox
On Monday, the union announced on its Ontario School Board Council of Unions account on Twitter that a conciliator had issued what's known as a “no board report,” which CUPE had requested on Oct. 7, saying the talks were at an impasse.
“It is important that as workers, we use this time to build power amongst ourselves, students, families and our communities,” the union wrote in the update, encouraging its members to complete forms for strike pay.
The report sets a 17-day countdown toward the union being in a legal strike position, though CUPE is still required to give five days' notice of any job action.
Education Minister Stephen Lecce said he hopes CUPE brings forward reasonable requests during negotiations.
“Like parents, we believe strongly that students deserve to be in class catching up on their learning and are disappointed to hear the education union reconfirm to parents their intention to impose a strike on kids and their families,” Lecce wrote in a statement.
CUPE is looking for annual salary increases of 11.7 per cent and the government in response has offered raises of two per cent a year for workers making less than $40,000 and 1.25 per cent for all other workers.
Education workers have made several other proposals, including overtime at two times the regular pay rate, 30 minutes of paid prep time per day for educational assistants and ECEs, an increase in benefits and professional development for all workers.
Laura Walton, president of CUPE's Ontario School Boards Council of Unions, said their proposals are about “student success and good jobs.”
“We started mediation this morning and we still want to reach a negotiated agreement that will guarantee service improvements for students, help solve school boards' problems hiring and keeping qualified employees, and secure a significant wage increase for the lowest-paid frontline education workers that's long overdue,” she said in a written statement.
The four major teachers' unions are also at various points in the bargaining process with the government, after contracts expired on Aug. 31.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 17, 2022.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Another suspect arrested in Toronto Pearson airport gold heist: police
Another suspect is in custody in connection with the gold heist at Toronto Pearson International Airport last year, police say.
Why these immigrants to Canada say they're thinking about leaving, or have already moved on
For some immigrants, their dreams of permanently settling in Canada have taken an unexpected twist.
Trump hush money trial: Play-by-play on Day 2 of Stormy Daniels testimony
Adult film star Stormy Daniels took the stand for a second time Thursday as former U.S. president Donald Trump's hush money case continues in Manhattan.
Ontario family receives massive hospital bill as part of LTC law, refuses to pay
A southwestern Ontario woman has received an $8,400 bill from a hospital in Windsor, Ont., after she refused to put her mother in a nursing home she hated -- and she says she has no intention of paying it.
Here are the ultraprocessed foods you most need to avoid, according to a 30-year study
Studies have shown that ultraprocessed foods can have a detrimental impact on health. But 30 years of research show they don’t all have the same impact.
Miss Teen USA steps down just days after Miss USA's resignation
Miss Teen USA resigned Wednesday, sending further shock waves through the pageant community just days after Miss USA said she would relinquish her crown.
Cyclist strikes child crossing the street to catch school bus in Montreal
A video circulating on social media of a young girl being hit by a bike has some calling for better safety and more caution when designing bike lanes in the city. The video shows a four-year-old girl crossing Jeanne-Mance Street in Montreal's Plateau neighbourhood to get on a school bus stopped on the opposite side of the street
B.C. wildfires likely to spread with weekend temperatures expected to soar, province says
Wildfire and emergency management officials in British Columbia are urging residents to be prepared for increased fire activity as temperatures are expected to soar above 30 C in parts of the province this weekend.
Wilfrid Laurier football player drafted despite only playing 27 games in his entire life
A Listowel, Ont. man, drafted by the Hamilton Tigercats last week, is also getting looks from the NFL, despite only playing 27 games of football in his life.