TORONTO — The union representing Ontario's public high school teachers says it will hold another one-day strike on Dec. 11.
The Ontario Secondary School Teachers' Federation (OSSTF) says Wednesday's job action will impact only schools in Toronto and several regions.
According to information by the OSSTF, North Bay will be one of the selected locations which will include public high schools in the Near North.
"It is unfortunate that the government hasn’t engaged in any meaningful negotiations and doesn’t appear interested in sitting down and bargaining a fair deal," said Glen Hodgson, OSSTF District 4 FEESO President.
"They don’t want to listen to us or even their own government consultation that shows that parents and stakeholders don’t want to see the government attack public education. We have been transparent right from day one and we ask that the minister of education stop doing press conferences and start actual bargaining."
BayToday.ca has been informed that All Nipissing-Parry Sound Catholic Schools will remain open on December 11.
Earlier this week, the union held a one-day strike that closed all high schools — and some elementary schools — across the province.
Vic Fedeli, Nipissing MPP, believes further job action in the coming weeks will only erode the education of students.
"In over 200 days OSSTF has not put forward any changes to their proposal, nor as of this time, proposed any new dates to return to the bargaining table," said Fedeli in a statement to BayToday.
"Student success should never be the casualty of union escalation. The union leaders have stated publicly that they are not willing to make any changes to proposals at the bargaining table, nor have they made any substantive moves to date, which only affirms their insistence on an increase of $1.5 billion compensation, including pay and benefits.
"We have made major moves on classroom sizes, on online learning, and announced significant investments – in fact over $200 million – in the defence of public education.
"We have made moves, we have stayed at the table. The leadership of teachers’ unions have dug in their heels because they exist to advance the interests of their members."
High school teachers are pushing back against government plans to increase class sizes and introduce mandatory e-learning courses.
But the Progressive Conservative government says the key issue at the bargaining table is compensation
The province has offered a one-per-cent annual wage increase, but the union is seeking around two per cent.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 6, 2019.
The Canadian Press
