Ontario's public high school teachers set strike vote

The other three unions — representing English Catholic teachers, elementary public teachers and support staff — have previously scheduled November strike votes.

“A strong strike mandate sends a strong message to the government that our members are tired of doing more with less,” Martha Hradowy, president of the secondary teachers’ union, said in an interview.

However, she added, “this is a strike vote, not a strike announcement, not a strike date … (job action) is not imminent or inevitable … We want to get to the table, we want to negotiate.” 

There is no threat of job action anytime soon in Ontario schools, given there are a number of steps legally required before a work-to-rule or full-out work stoppage.

The public secondary teachers union has scheduled its province-wide strike vote from Nov. 6 to 16.

The French teachers’ union, known as AEFO, will hold a strike vote Nov. 16 and 17, saying the move comes as “negotiations for the renewal of collective agreements are still on hold due to a disagreement over the scope” of what matters should be bargained provincially or locally under the province’s two-tiered bargaining system.

The Ontario English Catholic Teachers’ Association will vote online Nov. 12 and 13, and the Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario between Nov. 9 and 18.

School support staff, represented by CUPE’s Ontario School Board Council of Unions, will vote from Nov. 4 to 18. 

Education unions had asked that bargaining begin early, in March, but the province opted for the usual June start.

All contracts expired at the end of August, and bargaining is essentially in limbo as the unions asked the Ontario Labour Relations Board to rule on what issues should be handled with the provincial government versus with individual boards.

The government wants to add several items to central talks that have typically been addressed at local tables, the unions say.

Both Hradowy and Joe Tigani, president of CUPE’s school board unit, expect the labour board to rule in early to mid-November.

Following that, negotiations are expected to begin in earnest; if unsuccessful, a conciliator will be appointed and if an agreement still can’t be reached, a no-board report is issued — and that starts a 17-day countdown to any potential job action or lockout.

Hradowy told the Star her union has already asked the provincial government for dates to start bargaining, assuming the labour board issues its decisions in November.

Her members want improvements to staffing and workloads, as well as “protections against contracting out and job loss … The government talks about stability in our schools, but stability requires serious bargaining and real progress at the table,” she said in a written release.

Emma Testani, press secretary to Education Minister Paul Calandra, has previously said the province respects the unions’ rights to go to the labour board, “but this process has delayed the start of bargaining. Once the process has concluded, we will be ready and willing to negotiate whenever the unions are ready to begin.”

However, she also has said “premature strike threats do not serve the interests of students and do nothing but create unnecessary panic for parents. Our focus is where it should be — getting to the table and reaching a deal that keeps students in the classroom.”

The education unions are planning rallies on Saturday, Oct. 24 in Toronto, London, Ottawa, Sudbury and Thunder Bay.

In total, they represent 275,000 teachers and support staff across the province.

“Their fight is for our kids,” NDP Leader Marit Stiles told reporters at Queen’s Park on Friday. “Their working conditions are our kids’ learning conditions … If this minister thinks this is just business as usual when it comes to education, he needs to get into a classroom soon.”

With files from Rob Ferguson