All of Ontario’s elementary school teachers are on strike today.
The Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario is holding a provincewide walkout for all of its 83,000 members.
It’s the latest in a series of job actions meant to turn up the pressure on the Ontario government during tense contract negotiations.
Thursday (today) marks the second time this week that members of the Elementary Teachers Federation of Ontario have hit the bricks.
On Monday, it was a walkout specific to County schools.
Local ETFO President Allison Ryan says it’s their way of grabbing the Government’s attention.
Ryan appreciates the car-honks that members have heard as they walk the picket line, but she says there is a way for parents to get more directly involved in the struggle.
She says parents should write to the Minister of Education, the Premier, and your local MPP expressing your displeasure with cuts to education.
Meanwhile, Education Minister Stephen Lecce says the government put forward reasonable proposals at the negotiating table, including a commitment to maintain full-day kindergarten. So he says it’s deeply disappointing parents are still seeing repeated escalation of job action at the expense of students to advance higher compensation, including more generous benefit plans.
Lecce says they firmly believe students should be in class, and the government is ready to negotiate and reach a deal Ontario students deserve.
