The union representing Ontario’s elementary teachers is accusing the provincial government of “fear mongering” as the first war of words erupts between the Ford government and education unions.
On Monday, Education Minister Stephen Lecce outlined the government’s expectations for the next school year, insisting that students have access to regular classroom lessons, along with extracurricular activities.
Read more: Ontario education minister wants after-school offered in September
“We are stating our clear intention to restore these services, these experiences and support the children, and we know that the educators care deeply about their children, will do the right thing and make sure that these experiences are returned to the children.”
Although the comments came after two years of government-mandated school closures, largely due to COVID-19, Lecce appeared to direct his remarks to Ontario’s education unions, which are in the early stages of contract negotiations with the province.
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The minister’s comments, however, were met with strong rebuke from the Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario (ETFO), which accused Lecce of trying to “create a crisis where there is none.”
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“Their goals appear to be agitation and division,” ETFO president Karen Brown said in a statement. “Minister Lecce is unnecessarily engaged in creating fear.”
Brown said the ETFO’s 83,000 members, which include public school elementary teachers, “will be in the schools” when they reopen in September despite union contracts expiring Aug. 31.
Read more: Ontario government and education union begin contract negotiations
Laura Walton, who represents the Ontario Council of School Board Unions, told Global News this week that it is “premature” for the minister to raise any concerns about school closures because contract talks are in his childhood
According to the province’s own laws governing collective bargaining, for a strike to occur, unions and employers must meet certain thresholds.
Once the contract expires and negotiations break down, both sides would have to meet with a Ministry of Labor conciliation officer and receive a “no meeting” report before a union can legally strike 17 days later.
Unions are also legally required to hold a strike ballot and can only go on a walkout if a majority of members vote in favor of industrial action.
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The province’s education unions say none of those requirements have been met, meaning there is little or no risk of school disruptions in September.
“You can’t even call strike ballots more than 30 days before a collective agreement expires, and we wouldn’t call for a strike ballot before people go back to work,” Walton said.
“We’ll be coming back”.
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