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Teachers' contract negotiations at an 'impasse'

THUNDER BAY - The union representing the province's public high school teachers is reporting contract talks have hit an impasse, with the union president warning it could push closer to additional strike action.

THUNDER BAY - The union representing the province's public high school teachers is reporting contract talks have hit an impasse, with the union president warning it could push closer to additional strike action.

The Ontario Secondary School Teachers' Federation issued a media release late Friday night declaring formal talks with the provincial government and the Ontario Public School Boards' Association have ended.

The union claims the goverment and school boards' association are seeking cuts from the previous contract which expired on Aug. 31, 2014 and would limit the amount of time teachers spend supporting students.

The OSSTF filed notice for conciliation against seven school boards, including Thunder Bay's Lakehead District School Board, in March. That filing was one step towards entering a legal strike position.

"The last thing our teachers want is to be outside of their classrooms", said union president Paul Elliott in the media release.

"But we've been left no choice. An impasse at the central table pushes us closer to additional strike action at boards across the province. These matters must be taken seriously and we've seen no indication the government has any bargaining intent other than to demonstrate to other public sector unions that they've been tough with teachers. Teachers cannot tolerate any further cuts which will decrease their ability to provide the support required for all Ontario students to succeed."

There is no word what this means for a potential strike at four city high schools. Those schools are Hammarskjold High School, Superior Collegiate and Vocational Institute, Sir Winston Churchill Collegiate and Vocational Institute and Westgate Collegiate and Vocational Institute.





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