Catholic school teachers in Ontario have announced union members will conduct a provincewide strike vote this fall.
The announcement comes one week after the union representing public elementary school teachers shared the same news.
Ontario English Catholic Teachers’ Association (OECTA) President René Jansen in de Wal said Monday that Catholic teachers have been bargaining with representatives of the Ford government and Catholic school boards for more than a year however, members feel the province has failed to show interest in engaging in meaningful discussions,
“In public, Education Minister Stephen Lecce has said the government is ‘available every day to negotiate.’ In reality, our Association has been provided only a couple of days per month to meet – 30 meetings in more than 440 days since we filed notice to bargain – despite our repeated offers and requests for more days,” read a statement from Jansen in de Wal.
The OECTA president also claims solutions proposed by members have been rejected often without explanation or alternative suggestion.
“We will be asking Catholic teachers to stand united, prepared to do whatever is necessary to protect and build on the success of Ontario’s publicly funded education system, and to support the students we serve,” Jansen in de Wal’s statement continued. “Bargaining will continue while the strike vote is being conducted.”
Meanwhile, Lecce released a statement Monday evening claiming that after private mediation was rejected, the government has made itself available “every day” to continue negotiations.
“The threat of another strike by some of the teachers unions just weeks ahead of the start of school is unfair to parents and moves the focus away from getting a deal that keeps kids in class,” said Lecce. “I believe that by staying at the table, we can and will reach a deal that keeps kids learning in classrooms where they belong.”
The OECTA said it will conduct its strike vote on October 18 and 19. Many students will head back to class at the start of September.
