Elementary teachers across Ontario are set to withdraw from extracurricular activities starting next week.
The Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario (ETFO) says the Ontario Public School Boards’ Association (OPSBA) and the government have failed to respond to their efforts to resume central table bargaining.
As a result, ETFO officials say they will be escalating its current Phase 3 strike action.
Beginning Wednesday, October 28, ETFO teacher and occasional teacher members will withdraw from all voluntary extracurricular activities.
“The Liberal government and OPSBA have ignored all attempts by ETFO to get them to return to the central bargaining table, including an offer to refer one issue to binding arbitration. If OPSBA and the government want a deal, why are they not responding to our efforts to resume bargaining? Why are they not back at the bargaining table with us?” stated Sam Hammond, ETFO President.
“Our members do not undertake this escalation of strike action lightly, but they understand that reaching a fair and reasonable agreement will not happen unless OPSBA and the government are present at the bargaining table. We are calling on OPSBA and the government to return to the central bargaining table with ETFO to work to conclude this round of negotiations. ETFO members have been working without a contract since August 2014. That is not good for our teachers or for our students.”
The Lambton Kent District School Board announced earlier in the week that the parties have ratified the local Collective Agreement for the full time and occasional Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation of Ontario, District 10. This agreement covers the period September 1, 2014 to August 31, 2017.
