Bargain talks have begun between the government Ontario and a major education association.
canadian union of public employeeswhich is 55,000. represents Ontario Education Activists say that the talks started on Monday morning as per the schedule.
Education unions will hold talks this summer as existing contracts are due to expire on August 31.
The Central Bargaining Committee for CUPE’s Ontario School Boards Council of Unions said this month that it hopes to negotiate a deal that provides greater support for students and “ensures workers’ wages are now lower.” Will not done.”
A July 7 statement also referred to a memorandum from the assistant deputy minister for education that said the province was “considering” four-year terms for education sector collective agreements instead of the current three-year terms. Is.
The memorandum said the four-year tenure would allow for greater stability as students hold up after the COVID-19 disruptions and sought input from bargaining agencies on options for contracts lasting two, four or five years.
CUPE suggested that changing the terms of the contract would benefit the Progressive Conservatives’ re-election bid in 2026, and said education activists are focused on striking a deal that improves the education experience for students and makes life more affordable for workers.
Premier Doug Ford’s Tory government was re-elected in June and Education Minister Stephen Lessey is back on file.
The government had poor relations with unions over the past four years, which led to teachers staging strikes and work-by-governance campaigns during the last round of negotiations.
Bill 124, a law to increase compensation for public sector workers by one percent annually, played a big part in the tension.
Ford said last month that teachers would receive “more than one percent” of pay.
But the premier also warned that he wants students to be in classes in the fall and not drop out of school or miss extra-curricular lessons because of labor disruptions.
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