CUPE gives notice for strike deadline
Set to be in a strike position on Sept. 30, education workers represented by the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) have given five days notice of a work-to-rule campaign.
CUPE, which represents more than 50,000 Ontario education employees, which includes custodians, librarians, administrative staff and early childhood educators, broke off talks with school boards last weekend.
Workers had voted in favour of work-to-rule action by 93 per cent earlier this month.
Union officials say employees will stop working overtime and performing extra duties on Sept. 25.
In a statement, Education Minister Stephen Lecce said his government “remains focused on keeping kids in the classroom.”
“I urge CUPE and the employers to come back to the table and direct their efforts towards reaching a deal as quickly possible. Our government remains available at any time to restart talks with CUPE and keep students in school. Kids and parents deserve no less,” Lecce said.
Teacher unions continue to negotiate
Meanwhile, the Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation (OSSTF) unveiled a new website that openly lays out its bargaining proposals to the Ford government.
The OSSTF is requesting the province stop plans to increase average high school class sizes from 22 to 28 over the next four years.
The union is also asking the ministry to re-examine its plan to implement mandatory e-learning classes starting in 2020-2021.
The Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario (ETFO) is set to hold strike vote meetings with its 83,000 members in late-September and early-October.
The Durham vote is set for Oct. 2.