TORONTO – High School teachers across the province have voted overwhelmingly in favour of strike action, should it be deemed necessary.
According to a release issued on Monday by the Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation, education workers voted 92 per cent in favour of walking off the job, while the teacher and occasional teacher members returned a 95.5 per cent favourability result.
“This is a powerful mandate from our members, and it sends a compelling message,” said OSSTF President Harvey Bischof. “Our members are committed to defending the quality of education in Ontario against a government that is determined to undermine it, and they are absolutely prepared to defend their ability to provide the best possible learning environment for the students they work with.
“They are also telling us, quite emphatically, that they are losing patience with a government that refuses to engage in meaningful discussion about major issues that affect the quality of learning in their schools.
“We gave our notice to bargain almost seven months ago, but we are still waiting for even one meaningful, serious response to our key proposals that address the quality of publicly funded education.”
The union has yet to announce if it will in fact take job action.
“We are at the bargaining table today and not on the picket line as we could have been. This is a choice we made for this week because we remain committed to looking for solutions through negotiations. I sincerely hope the Ford government seeks the same and isn’t intent on creating additional unnecessary conflict,” Bischof said.
Minister of Education Stephen Lecce issued a statement calling on all education partners to enter into mediation to resolve ongoing contract disputes.
“While our Government has been a reasonable force and student-focused at the bargaining table, the labour unions continue to take escalating steps towards strike action. Strike action could mean school closures, disruption, and uncertainty for students and parents,” Lecce said.
“Today, I am offering all education sector unions the option to enter into mediation. I believe this is the right step, as mediation involves an independent third party to assist the unions, trustee associations, and the government in reaching settlements.”
