Teachers’ unions across the province have planned a series of strikes and work-to-rule campaigns this week
Failing to reach an agreement with the government, the province’s teachers’ unions are left with no other choice but to proceed with rotating strikes.
The following are the four major teachers’ union in Ontario:
- Elementary Teachers’ Federation (ETFO)
- Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation (OSSTF)
- Ontario English Catholic Teachers’ Association (OECTA)
- Association des Enseignantes et des Enseignants Franco-Ontariens (AEFO)
“A strike is the only means for educators to force the government to get serious about negotiations and the future of public education”, says EFTO President Sam Hammond.
Schedule of the rotating strike:
- Monday – Walkout by ETFO that will affect Toronto, York, and Ottawa-Carleton school boards.
- Tuesday – Job action by OSSTF affecting high schools in nine boards including Toronto District School Board. ETFO’s elementary teachers walk off the job affecting Grand Erie, Trillium Lakelands, Renfrew, Superior-Greenstone school boards. OECTA’s kindergarten to Grade 12 teachers’ province-wide strike affecting elementary and secondary schools in the English Catholic school system.
- Wednesday – ETFO’s walk off the job affecting Thomas Valley, Rainbow and Rainy River school boards.
- Thursday – ETFO’s one-day strike affecting Avon-Maitland, Halton, Niagara, and Lakehead school boards.
- Friday – ETFO’s one-day strike affecting Ontario North East and Bluewater school boards. The French teachers’ union, AEFO, work-to-rule campaign.
Meanwhile, the government has announced that a subsidy will be given to parents of children affected by the strike. The union says that this is bribery and some parents are opposed to it as well.
It’s been announced that day camps are also being offered across the GTA. Some parents have even worked together on organizing a low-cost childcare space. They said kids are caught in the middle and that it’s time to have a serious negotiation with the government.