THUNDER BAY – It’s too soon to talk about job action or picket lines, but public board elementary school teachers are near unanimous in giving union leadership a strike mandate.
Members of the Elementary Teachers Federation of Ontario of Ontario voted 98 per cent in favour of a strike mandate, and local union leader Mike Judge says he hopes it sends a message loud and clear to Queen’s Park that teachers mean business.
“It’s a strong endorsement of the work our table team is doing at the central table in Toronto. It really means our members are strongly behind the work that they’re doing and will continue to endorse their work moving forward.”
Walking off the job is a last-ditch option, Judge cautioned.
“It’s really just a message to the government that it’s time to get serious, it’s time to get back to the table and begin negotiations in earnest,” he said, adding he thinks the province is taking teachers too lightly.
“It hasn’t been a serious approach on behalf of the government and (the Ontario Public School Boards Association). We’re ready to get rolling and we’re ready to get some meaningful feedback on the language that’s been put forth, so we’re looking forward to this mandate enforcing their position.”
At issue are a number of issues, including the increase of class sizes in Grade 4 and higher and the potential elimination of full-day kindergarten in Ontario.
That would be a mistake, Judge said.
“Certainly we’ve had a lot of talk about FDK and what that program looks like moving forward,” he said. “It’s a struggle to us that the government at this point won’t acknowledge that it’s going to remain the same moving forward beyond this year.
“We know that parents are strongly behind FDK and how it currently looks, and certainly ETFO is absolutely strongly behind the current model.”
Judge said the major issues, like full-day kindergarten, will be bargained at the provincial level. Union locals then negotiate other issues with local boards.
It’s too soon to start speaking about potential job actions, up to and including the withdrawal of teaching services, but the latter is not something the union is willing to take off the table.
“There are a few more steps to take, and again, we are not trying to fast-track ourselves into a strike position. That’s not where we want to be. We want to be in front of the kids in the classroom doing what it is we do,” Judge said.
“A no-board report would have to be sought and granted before we could even get to a legal strike position. But a strong mandate, in terms of a 98 per cent strike vote, is basically the best way we told our members as a way not to be on strike, because now the government knows our members are behind us.”
Minister of Education Minister Stephen Lecce issued a warning to union members considering strike action.
"While our government has been a reasonable and constructive force at the bargaining table - focused on keeping kids in class - today, ETFO has taken another escalating step towards a strike which will disproportionately hurt our kids,” Lecce said in a release issued by the province. “Strike action caused by unions could mean school closures, disruption, and uncertainty for students and parents.
“I support a deal, not a strike. Our team remains unequivocal in our determination to land deals with our labour partners as soon as possible to keep our kids in the classroom."
