200,000 Canadian Teachers Strike to Defend Public Education
Coverage courtesy of The Real News Network & The Toronto Star
January 24, 2020
Ontario teachers have joined the front lines in the worldwide battle against
austerity. Public school workers organized rolling strikes against the
conservative provincial government’s budget and job cuts.
The union representing Ontario’s public elementary teachers is holding another
one-day strike today to ramp up pressure on the government during tense contract
talks.
The latest Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario job action is at the Avon
Maitland, Halton, Niagara, and Lakehead school boards.
The union also says that on Tuesday its members will strike at the Kawartha Pine
Ridge, Hastings-Prince Edward and Upper Grand school boards as well as
Moosonee and Moose Factory Island school authorities.
The daily walkouts are part of escalating tensions between the province and its four
major teachers’ unions, which have been without contracts since August.
The elementary teachers are following in the footsteps of the secondary school
teachers’ union, which has been holding rotating strikes since mid-December.
ETFO President Sam Hammond has said the main issues in bargaining include
classroom size, resources for students with special needs, and protection of full-day
kindergarten.
Education Minister Stephen Lecce has said compensation is the main issue, with
the government offering a one per cent increase and the teachers’ union asking for
two per cent.
