Local high school teachers will join their colleagues across the province in a strike vote beginning later this week.
Members of the Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation (OSSTF/FEESO) will vote from November 6th to the 16th to back their demands in the current round of collective bargaining.
OSSTF officials say the strike vote strengthens their bargaining position and sends a clear message to the Ontario government that their members are united on the bargaining priorities, which include sustainable staffing, manageable workloads, protections against contracting out and job loss, and working and learning conditions.
However, the union cautions that a strike vote is not a strike, and it doesn’t mean job action is imminent or inevitable.
Additional legal steps would be required before OSSTF could be in a legal strike position.
Secondary school teachers have been working without a contract since the last one expired on August 31st.
The union says this raises serious questions about the government’s commitment to a fair and timely bargaining process.
Four other education unions plan similar strike votes this month, including the one representing elementary teachers.
(Written by: Cindy Clyne)
