Ontario elementary teachers suspending strikes for next two weeks

Thestar.com
February 25, 2020
Kristin Rushowy

Elementary teachers are suspending their two days of strikes each week -- but warn that without a deal by March 6, more job action will be on the way.

Sam Hammond, president of the Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario (ETFO), said he is putting the government and Education Minister Stephen Lecce “on notice.”

“Minister, you have two weeks -- the ball is now in your court,” Hammond said Monday after announcing a number of new work-to-rule measures and increased political action along with the hiatus on walkouts.

In a memo outlining “phase six” of the ongoing job action, the union instructed its 83,000 members to remain in class for the next two weeks, working with students and planning one, 20-minute picket each week while also upping the pressure on Tory MPPs.

“It is not anticipated that actions taken through phase six will lead to any immediate school closures, however in the case that there are multiple absences without appropriate coverage, which may impact the operations of schools,” the memo states.

But no deal means job action will escalate to “phase seven,” and Hammond would not rule out the possibility of an all-out strike.

No talks are currently scheduled between the ETFO and the government.

In a statement, Lecce said “the safety and security of our students are of the utmost importance to this government. I hope that ETFO will work with school boards to ensure that the escalated work-to-rule measures do not risk student safety and security.”

Lecce also said “our government wants to see investments in education helping our students, not increasing compensation and enhancing already generous benefits packages,” which he has insisted is the main sticking point.

But Hammond said his 83,000 members -- teachers, early childhood educators and support staff -- “expect to see a bargaining outcome … that supports the learning needs of their students” and improves working conditions.

The Ontario English Catholic Teachers’ Association was back at the bargaining table on Monday, and the AEFO , representing French teachers, has negotiations set for Friday.

On Friday, the Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation will hold one-day strikes in a handful of boards.

The AEFO also announced a province-wide strike of its 12,000 members on Thursday.

Rémi Sabourin, president of the Association des enseignantes et des enseignants franco-ontariens (AEFO), said his union “wants a deal, yes, but not at any price.”

As for Friday’s talks, he said that if the province and school boards “have students’ success at heart, AEFO hopes they will actively engage in a dialogue to conclude a winning deal for students, for AEFO members and for school boards.”

Last Friday, a mass walkout by the province’s 200,000 teachers shut down all publicly funded schools.

In the legislature Monday, Premier Doug Ford said “I talk to parents every single day, like each and every one of us, and I’m just saying what I hear, ‘keep going. Do not back down. There has to be accountability for the first time in 15 years.’ That’s what I’m hearing.”

He also said the ongoing strikes “are hurting families. They’re hurting families when thousands and thousands of parents, who couldn’t afford a day off, like some people take days off, couldn’t afford it. They get docked pay. That’s what they’re frustrated with.”

The government has already begun reimbursing families up to $60 a day per child to cover child-care during the strikes.

All teacher unions are engaging in work-to-rule job action, including bare-bones report cards, and, for elementary teachers, not taking part in extracurriculars.

Elementary teachers were also told Monday not to fill in for absent colleagues, and step up writing/online campaigns opposing the government’s changes to education.

New Democrat MPP Marit Stiles, her party’s education critic, said the Ford government wants “to make deep cuts to our education system, and then claim they’re enhancing it. They want to rip resources away from kids, and say they’re preparing them for the future. They want to replace in-person learning with isolating online courses, and claim they care about student mental health.”