Schools in Toronto and other parts of the GTA will be closed on Monday if education workers strike.
The Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) announced on Wednesday that its 55,000 members are willing to escalate their work-to-rule campaign and launch “full strike action” come next week if a deal cannot be reached.
“We are ready,” Laura Walton, who has led negotiations on behalf of the union, previously said.
With a potential strike looming, the Toronto District School Board, the York Region District School Board and the Peel District School Board all announced their students will have to look elsewhere come Monday.
While the union is taking this step to “apply pressure,” Walton said, they are also willing to “do the hard work” to prevent strike action.
Ontario Education Minister Stephen Lecce said he is “frustrated” by the union’s decision.
CUPE said around 7 p.m. on Wednesday that they had “secured a return to the bargaining table.”
Talks are scheduled to begin around 4:30 p.m. on Friday.
