Ontario’s major teaching unions have served notice to the Ford government to begin bargaining new agreements for more than 255,000 educators across the province.
The notices mean the province will now need to prepare to enter potentially bruising talks with the unions, a series of negotiations that take place every four years and come with potentially high-stakes strike action.
On Wednesday, the Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario, Ontario English Catholic Teachers’ Association, Ontario School Board Council of Unions and Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation all sent their notices to the government.
The Ministry of Education will now need to begin bargaining within the next 15 days.
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“We urge the provincial government and employer bargaining agencies to come to the table as soon as possible, prepared to engage constructively in negotiations,” a statement from the four unions said.
The negotiations come as teachers, education workers and unions complain about stretched classroom resources leading to issues like growing instances of violence against staff.
The unions said their members had seen “growing student needs, violence in schools, inadequate supports for students with special education needs, large class sizes, insufficient staffing, and challenges in retaining and recruiting teachers and education workers.”
Since taking over the role in March 2025, Education Minister Paul Calandra has been combative with school boards and trustees, but looked to curry favour with teachers through initiatives like direct funds for classroom supports.
Asked about the negotiations on Tuesday, he said he expected robust but productive talks.
“I remain quite optimistic,” he told reporters.
“Union leaders have a job to do, and I get it. They want the absolute best deal for the people they represent and they’re going to fight very, very hard for that. I want the same thing for teachers … and I want a fair deal for taxpayers.”
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