Ontario education workers vote 96.5 per cent in favour of strike
Ontario education workers such as custodians, early childhood educators and school administration staff have voted 96.5 per cent in favour of a strike, the Canadian Union of Public Employees announced Monday.
Laura Walton, the president of CUPE's Ontario School Board Council of Unions, said the bargaining team can now go back to the table with a clear indication of the level of support members have for CUPE's proposals.
"(The message is that) education cuts are not acceptable, that more front-line education staff is urgently needed for students to succeed and it's time for a meaningful wage increase for us, the lowest paid education workers who earn on average $39,000 a year," she said at a news conference Monday.
"No one wants to strike, especially not the lowest-paid education workers in Ontario but education workers have said very clearly, if this government will not budge we are willing to strike for a contract that is good for students, for families and for workers."
More than 80 per cent of its 55,000 education worker members voted over 10 days, CUPE said.
The union has its next bargaining dates scheduled with the government on Thursday, Friday, and Oct. 17 and 18.
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?
Before a strike could happen, the union would have to ask the conciliator to issue a "no board" report, meaning a deal can't be reached. Once that report is issued, the union would be in a legal strike position 17 days later, and it also has to give five days' notice of any job action.
Education Minister Stephen Lecce said the results are not surprising, given education unions' history of voting in favour of strikes, but he is nevertheless "disappointed."
"As CUPE moves ahead towards a strike that hurts kids and disrupts families -- leaving behind a reasonable offer that also protects the most generous benefits and pension plan in the country -- we will continue to remain at the table to make sure kids stay in class without interruption right through to June," he said in a written statement.
The government 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, while CUPE is looking for annual increases of 11.7 per cent.
Walton has said the government's offer amounts to an extra $800 a year for the average worker.
The government has noted that CUPE is also asking for five additional paid days before the start of the school year, 30 minutes of paid preparation time each day, and increasing overtime pay from a multiplier of 1.5 to 2.
Ontario's opposition parties placed the blame for the looming possible strike at the feet of the government they say is refusing to ensure proper services in schools.
"This Conservative government has dragged our children to the brink of more school disruption," NDP education critic Chandra Pasma said in a statement.
"Premier Doug Ford and Minister Stephen Lecce have been using our children's school year as a bargaining chip, to bully the lowest-paid education workers."
All five major education unions are in the midst of bargaining with the government after their contracts expired Aug. 31.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 3, 2022.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Security guard shot, seriously injured outside of Drake's Toronto mansion
A security guard working at Drake’s Bridle Path mansion in Toronto was seriously injured in a shooting outside the residence early Tuesday morning.
King Charles too busy to see son Prince Harry during U.K. trip
Prince Harry will not be seeing his father King Charles during his current visit to Britain as the monarch will be too busy, Harry's spokesperson said on Tuesday.
Your body needs these three forms of movement every week
Movement is movement, right? Not exactly. Here’s what your body is looking for in addition to your morning walk or yoga session, according to experts.
'It looked so legit': Ontario man pays $7,700 for luxury villa found on Booking.com, but the listing was fake
An Ontario man says he paid more than $7,700 for a luxury villa he found on a popular travel website -- but the listing was fake.
Canadian cadets rock mullets and place second at U.S. military competition
Sporting mullets, Canadian Armed Forces officer cadets placed second in an annual military skills competition in the U.S.
The Met Gala was in full bloom with Zendaya, Jennifer Lopez, Mindy Kaling among the standout stars
The Met Gala and its fashionista A-listers on Monday included Jennifer Lopez, Zendaya and a parade of others in a swirl of flora and fauna looks on a green-tinged carpet lined by live foliage.
Quebec to limit sperm donations per donor after 3 men from same family father hundreds of children
Quebec is looking at tightening the regulations around sperm donation in the province following the release of a documentary that revealed three men from the same family fathered hundreds of children.
How to overcome 'savings guilt' when you're living paycheque to paycheque
As the higher cost of living continues to squeeze household budgets, many Canadians find they have even less left over at the end of every month to squirrel away for the future.
There's actually no such thing as vegetables. Here's why you should eat them anyway
The rumours are true: Vegetables aren't real — that is, in botany, anyway. While the term fruit is recognized botanically as anything that contains a seed or seeds, vegetable is actually a broad umbrella term.