Ontario’s public elementary school teachers have voted overwhelmingly in favour of going on strike if a contract agreement cannot be reached with the provincial government.
The Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario (ETFO) announced on Wednesday that its members have voted 95 per cent in favour of a strike mandate. Strike votes took place across the province between September 18 and October 17.
“This strong strike mandate sends a very clear message to the government,” says ETFO President Karen Brown in a news release. “Our members have been working for over a year without a contract, and their patience has run out. We need the government to stop stalling and start negotiating seriously on our members’ key priorities, like providing more supports for students with special needs, acknowledging the staffing crisis in education, putting a fair compensation offer on the table, and addressing violence in schools.”
While union members have given the union the ability to strike if necessary, that doesn’t necessarily mean they will be heading to the picket line. Negotiations between ETFO and the province are expected to continue for the time being.
ETFO represents around 80,000 public elementary teachers and occasional teachers, and 3,500 designated early childhood educators, education support personnel, and professional support personnel.
