The head of Ontario’s elementary teachers union says while families want stability in schools, educators will fight against cuts to public education as they begin contract negotiations with the province. Speaking at the annual meeting of the Elementary Educators Federation of Ontario, or ETFO, on Monday, president Karen Brown told delegates from across the province that the union will “push hard” for investment. All teacher union contracts expire at the end of August and negotiations have begun. It is widely expected to be a tough round of negotiations with Prime Minister Doug Ford’s government. Before the pandemic, all four main education unions were involved in industrial action – ranging from walkouts to one-day strikes – as tensions with the government rose. They reached agreements with the province just as the first wave of COVID-19 in 2020 resulted in school closures. On Monday, the government’s latest offer to the union representing support staff provided a 2 percent raise each year over a four-year contract — well below the union’s demand — for those earning less than $40,000 a year. Ms. Brown told delegates that families “are not willing to accept more cuts to public education. … ETFO will continue to push hard for the necessary reinvestment in the system.” The ETFO has negotiation dates scheduled with the government and school boards this month. The ETFO initially denied media access to its meeting, a departure from past practice. The union then allowed the media to attend Ms Brown’s opening remarks on Monday, but will not allow the media inside in her closing speech on Thursday, saying it’s about negotiations. In a media briefing after her speech, Ms Brown said teachers were seeking “compensation that reflects the level of commitment they have invested during this pandemic. They were there, they showed up, they were reliable.” Education Minister Steven Lecce said in a statement that the government was “committed to reaching a fair deal with all education unions”. “My message to parents is this: We will do whatever it takes to get your children back into the classroom, on time and uninterrupted, with the full learning experience.” The government’s initial offer also includes a 1.25 percent annual raise over a four-year contract for other school workers earning more than $40,000. The bargaining documents were released Monday by the Ontario Council of School Board Unions of CUPE, or OSBCU, which represents 55,000 support workers that include teaching assistants and custodians. Caitlin Clarke, a spokeswoman for Mr. Lecce, said the offer, which also preserves 11 paid sick days and some changes to short-term disability coverage, was “fair.” “When considering the total compensation package, including generous benefits and sick leave provisions, this is a fair offer and allows CUPE members to remain competitive with teachers in other fields,” he said in an e-mail. But Laura Walton, president of OSBCU, said the offer was “heartbreaking” and workers felt “extremely disrespected by this government”. She said many support staff, who are among the lowest paid in education, work multiple jobs and struggle with food and housing. Among its demands, the union asked for raises of about 11.7 percent a year and a preschool teacher in every kindergarten class. Under the current model, if a kindergarten class has fewer than 16 students, an early childhood educator is not required to be in the classroom. Ms Walton said the union would meet with the government again on Tuesday. Union leadership will also meet shortly to discuss holding a strike vote. “We know what employees need to keep them going,” Ms Walton said. The Morning Update and Afternoon Update newsletters are written by Globe editors, giving you a concise summary of the day’s most important headlines. Sign up today.
