Ontario strikes deal with educational workers, urges two other unions to talk

Thestar.com
April 9, 2020

Educational workers have reached a tentative collective bargaining agreement with the Ontario government.

Education Minister Stephen Lecce announced the proposed deal in a statement on Saturday.

He did not provide details.

The workers involved include educational assistants, designated early childhood educators and clerical workers.

The deal with the Ontario Council of Educational Workers is the fifth in a contentious round of negotiations between educators and the province.

Lecce says it’s time to conclude agreements with two other unions, including the Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation.

The government and high school teachers’ union returned to the bargaining table Thursday and talks continued Friday. They are to resume Monday.

Because of social distancing during the COVID-19 outbreak, all bargaining is taking place electronically.

Last week, the province and the AEFO, representing French-board teachers, reached a tentative three-year deal.

The province has also hammered out deals - still to be ratified - with the Elementary Teachers Federation of Ontario and the Ontario English Catholic Teachers’ Association.

Ford government now has tentative deals with Catholic, elementary teachers which it says brings ‘stability’ amid uncertain times

Those deals provide an annual, one-per-cent salary increase as well as a four-per-cent benefits boost yearly.

The province also pledged tens of millions in funding to hire more special education teachers and guaranteed the current full-day kindergarten model over the life of the contract.

Class sizes will remain as is under those agreements, meaning they are slightly larger than last year in both elementary and secondary.