The union representing education support staff and the province will return to the bargaining table on Wednesday morning as the Ford government pushes legislation that would force a contract on the workers.
The Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) is now waiting for the government’s response after presenting a counter-offer on Tuesday evening.
If a deal is not reached, CUPE says they are planning a walkout on Friday despite the proposed legislation from the province. If workers walk off the job it would force most GTA schools to close for in-person learning. (A full list of school boards plans can be found here).
CUPE has not said what is in its counter-offer, but it had been seeking annual raises of about 11.7 per cent. The government is proposing to legislate a contract with raises of 2.5 per cent a year for workers making less than $43,000 per year and 1.5 per cent for all others.
Workers represented by the union include librarians, custodians and early childhood educators.
Union supporters held a rally outside of the Ministry of Labour on University Avenue on Tuesday in response to the Ford government’s move to impose a contract.
“Doug Ford told us he cares about education workers but doesn’t like those union leaders,” said Laura Walton, president of CUPE’s Ontario School Board Council of Union. “Every single one of our members is a leader, every single one of our colleagues is a leader, and if you’re going to take on me, you’re going to take on everybody.”
Ford took aim at union leaders while speaking in the legislature on Tuesday morning during a session where MPPs were debating the back-to-work bill.
“We’re talking over a million parents that would take work off because you want to feather the nest of the heads of the union,” he said. “I think the labour needs to find new labour leadership.”
Justin Trudeau criticizes Doug Ford’s use of notwithstanding clause.
The opposition has slammed the Ford government for attempting to force the bill through on the lowest paid group of education workers. NDP MPP Marit Stiles pointed out the province’s use of the notwithstanding clause, noting it is the first time the clause has ever been used in a labour situation.
“This government is violating the rights of 55,000 Ontario workers, and those workers are parents too,” she says.
The province intends to use the clause to protect the proposed legislation from legal challenges. The clause allows the legislature to override portions of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms for a five-year term.
The government legislation also states that CUPE members would face fines of up to $4,000 per day if they go ahead with a strike.
It’s unclear if CUPE’s planned walkout on Friday would last more than one day. The union has said it will be looking at every avenue to fight the legislation.
With files from The Canadian Press
