Picket lines were up across Renfrew County today as teachers belonging to two different unions staged a one day walkout, closing down all public and catholic schools in the county. Local MPP John Yakabuski says “while parents in Renfrew-Nipissing-Pembroke are frustrated by teacher union escalation every few years, it is unacceptable that union leaders would ramp up strike action and make families across the province scramble for childcare.” Yakabuski says his government recognizes the impact of the rotating strikes on hard-working families who now have to bear the costs of childcare on strike days. He says that’s why the government launched its Support for Parents initiative that gives parents some money to help with the cost of child care they require due to the rotating strikes. As of today, the government had received 149,464 applications for assistance. The unions say they are frustrated with a lack of progress in contract negotiations with the provincial government. President of the Elementary Teachers Federation of Ontario Renfrew County Teachers’ Local, Allison Ryan dismisses comments made by the Minister of Education that the strike is about wages. Ryan says it’s about quality of education.
As of today, there is no date set for contract talks to resume.
