ETFO to ramp up strike action after March Break if no deal is made

Durhamradionews.com
March 9, 2020

The elementary teachers union says they will ramp up strike action after March Break if the province doesn’t get back to the table.

The Elementary Teachers Federation of Ontario (ETFO) says no contract talks have been planned with them, despite Education Minister Stephen Lecce announcing this week the province will scale back on their class size changes and e-learning.

“Despite Minister Lecce’s pronouncements to the media this week, the government has not initiated any contract talks with ETFO,” said ETFO President Sam Hammond. “We will do what it takes to stop the Minister’s rhetoric and get his negotiating team to come to the table with proposals that will result in a fair deal for students, student learning and educators.”

ETFO says they’ll announce the next step Monday.

They were the only union of the big four not to strike on Thursday.

Thousands of public high school teachers, Catholic teachers and French-language teachers surrounded Queen’s Park.

Inside the legislature Premier Doug Ford questioned why they were still striking and said it’s clear now the unions are only looking for a pay raise.