High school teachers stage walk-out for first time in 22 years

OSSTF negotiators remained at the table right up to a midnight strike deadline but the union says the provincial government and Minister of Education Stephen Lecce “failed to bring a single proposal to the bargaining table.

About 60,000 educators represented by OSSTF find themselves on a one day, province-wide strike for the first time in 22 years. The two sides remain far apart with OSSTF having made public its position on www.bargainingforeducation.ca.

The OSSTF position represents the status quo, one just recognized in international scores (PISA scores released Tuesday by the OECD) which showed Canada was in the top 5-10 in the world in reading, science, and math.

Local OSSTF president Colin Matthew says in the release that he is incredibly disappointed.

He says the recently leaked parent consultation conducted by the Ford government indicates that 70 per cent of parents don’t want larger classes for students.

He adds that all quantitative data shows the success of Ontario’s education system, but the Ford government “remains tied to its positions on class sizes, mandatory e-learning and compensation that sees educators falling behind the cost of living in Ontario.”

Educators will picket high schools including LCVI and the Lindsay Adult Education Centre, Fenelon Falls Secondary School, from 7 am to 2:30 pm and Gravenhurst High School, BMLSS, Huntsville Secondary School and Haliburton Highlands Secondary School from 8 am to 3:30 pm.