Ontario elementary teachers hold strike votes between today and Oct. 17

Teachers in Ontario's public elementary schools are set to start voting today on whether they want to give their union a strike mandate.

The Elementary Teachers' Federation of Ontario is holding in-person strike votes for its members between today and Oct. 17, with teachers in various regions voting on different days.

ETFO has filed for conciliation, citing what it calls the "unacceptably slow pace of bargaining," but has rejected a government proposal to leave any outstanding issues to be decided by an arbitrator.

The Ontario Secondary School Teachers' Federation has tentatively agreed to negotiate with the government until the end of October and then move to binding arbitration, which would eliminate the possibility of a strike.

Education Minister Stephen Lecce has urged the other teachers' unions to accept the same deal, but they have said no.

The Ontario English Catholic Teachers' Association is holding strike votes on Oct. 18 and 19, meanwhile OSSTF members have until Sept. 27 to vote on whether they want to accept the binding arbitration proposal.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 18, 2023.