While the province says negotiations are back on with elementary school teachers, the union says it is more of the same old story at the bargaining table.
The Elementary Teachers' Federation of Ontario (ETFO) met today with provincial officials at the request of a mediator.
But, ETFO officials say the government and the Ontario Public School Board Association (OPSBA) is still seeking the same concessions and the meeting ended around 11am.
The main sticking points are over professional discretion and teachers' management rights rather than wages or benefits.
Teachers across Ontario started "phase one" of a "work to rule" campaign today. There will be no EQAO testing or administrative work done by teachers and they will not meet with the ministry to discuss professional development.
"ETFO will continue phase one of its work-to-rule strike action. In order for real progress to be made at the central table, OPSBA and the Liberal government need to reconsider their concession-based approach to central bargaining," says ETFO President Sam Hammond. "When these concessions were initially tabled, OPSBA and the government stated that they were 'opening positions' only. ETFO would like to move beyond opening positions to meaningful bargaining."
The two sides have been trying to work out a deal for over eight months.
All voluntary extra curriculars and field trips will continue during "phase one" but the union threatens further action if no progress is made at the bargaining table.
