A strike that would have closed hundreds of schools across Ontario was averted last night as the province reached a tentative deal with the union representing 55-thousand education workers.
The custodians, early childhood educators and clerical staff perform vital roles that at least two dozen school boards said they couldn’t safely operate without.
Education Minister Stephen Lecce and the bargaining unit for the Canadian Union of Public Employees announced the deal just hours before a midnight strike deadline.
Ratification votes on the accord will be held before the end of the month.
However….
More potential labour woes could be impacting the Renfrew County District School Board.
Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario (ETFO) members from the Renfrew area will hold a confidential members’ meeting and a central strike vote today (on Monday, October 7th).
it’s a member-only meeting for elementary teachers, occasional teachers, educational support personnel, and professional support personnel from four Renfrew locals and the membership will discuss central bargaining issues.
The ETFO Provincial Executive has asked members to demonstrate their support for ETFO’s bargaining priorities by authorizing a strike mandate as part of the legal bargaining process established under Ontario labour laws.
Outstanding contract issues affect two different groups of workers: teachers and occasional teachers form one group and the other consists of educational workers, including early childhood educators, education support personnel and professional support personnel.
Any labour action by the group would affect elementary schools with the Renfrew County District School Board only.
