Ontario elementary school teachers voted to strike
But will it take place?
The Elementary Teachers' Federation of Ontario (ETFO), which represents about 83,000 teachers, caregivers and some other education staff, has summarized the results of a strike vote. It started as early as months ago because of the organization's dissatisfaction with the pace of negotiations with the authorities over better working conditions. 95% of those who voted were in favor of a strike.
Its president, Karen Brown, announced the news on the union's Web site:
"Our members have been working for over a year without a contract, and their patience has run out. We need the government to stop stalling and start negotiating seriously on our members’ key priorities, like providing more supports for students with special needs, acknowledging the staffing crisis in education, putting a fair compensation offer on the table, and addressing violence in schools."
At the same time, the decision to strike does not necessarily mean that it will start or that all union members will go on rallies and pickets. However, this event will have to be a turning point in the negotiations — otherwise the strike can be launched without delay.
The provincial government has so far been slow to act. Ontario Education Minister Stephen Lecce urged union representatives last month to sign the agreement on the current terms "that keeps these kids in school" In response, ETFO, the English Catholic Teachers Association of Ontario and the Association des enseignantes et des enseignants franco-ontariens (AEFO) issued a joint statement outraged at the manipulation.
"The Ford Conservative government has continually refused to engage in substantive discussions with our unions, despite our many attempts to make progress at our respective bargaining tables."
The Ford government cites public opinion in its position. Its online survey of 1,035 residents of the province (totaling 14.5 million people) found the following:
- 68% of respondents felt that the union should sign the agreement as proposed;
- in the event of a strike, 46% of respondents would blame the union and 34% would blame the provincial government.
The survey was conducted from September 28 to October 3.
