Ontario education workers in legal strike position as of Nov. 3
There are still talks in progress with the assistance of a mediator
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CUPE Ontario education workers — almost 55,000 members including school office and maintenance staff — will be in a legal strike position Nov. 3, the union says.
The Ontario Ministry of Labour issued a ‘no board’ report Monday morning, starting the 17-day countdown to possible job action.
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Laura Walton, president of CUPE’s Ontario School Boards Council of Unions (OSBCU), said the parties started mediation Monday morning and the union still wants to reach a negotiated settlement that will guarantee service improvements for students, help solve school boards’ problems hiring and keeping qualified workers, and secure a significant and “long overdue” wage increase for frontline education workers.
“Earning just $39,000 a year on average, we’re the lowest-paid education workers in Canada’s richest province,” Walton said in a statement. “We expect the Ford government to show they understand that we’ve already involuntarily taken an 11% pay cut over last decade and now we very literally cannot afford sky-high inflation.
“I can’t say strongly enough how much our reasonable, necessary and affordable proposals are all about student success and good jobs — two things anyone would think the Ford government should be jumping up and down to support,” she said.
CUPE Ontario is required to provide at least five days notice of job action, which can come during the 17-day countdown or after.
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Education workers are asking for an 11.7% annual raise, while the government had offered 2% a year for those earning under $40,000 annually and 1.25% a year for those making more than that threshold.
Ontario NDP education critic Chandra Pasma said in a statement that Premier Doug Ford and Education Minister Stephen Lecce can stop any classroom disruption.
“The premier can ensure kids stay in schools right now by listening to our lowest-paid education workers and respecting them with a fair offer,” Pasma said.
Lecce has said that the government is working to keep kids in school.
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