Toronto’s high school teachers have voted in favour of a strike mandate.
Members of the Toronto district of the Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation (OSSTF) voted 93.4 per cent in favour of a strike mandate on Wednesday.
With the current teacher contract having expired on Aug. 31, the union says the strike vote is a normal part of negotiations.
The vote comes after the controversial legislation regarding teachers’ wages was passed at Queen’s Park.
Bill 115 imposes a two-year wage freeze on veteran teachers while allowing younger ones to still move up the salary grid. The Bill also mandates three unpaid days off in the second year and limits teachers’ ability to bank sick days and cash them out at retirement.
The bill passed with the support of the provincial Conservatives. However, three major teachers’ unions, including the OSSTF, have vowed to fight the bill in court.
“In exercising their constitutional rights, the teacher of Toronto have pointedly expressed their defiance of Bill 115, and given a very strong strike mandate to their leadership,” said bargaining unit president Doug Joliffe in a press release.
President of the OSSTF Ken Coran said the results of the strike vote send a clear message to the Liberal government.
“We just hope the government hears that message before the crisis they’ve created grows,” he said.
