Over 1,500 elementary teachers with the Greater Essex County District School Board participated in a one-day strike on Tuesday.
Several hundred teachers were waving signs outside Windsor-West MPP Teresa Piruzza’s office. Information picket lines also took place at four schools, Windsor-Tecumseh MPP Dwight Duncan’s office and the board office.
They were protesting Bill 115, which Greater Essex Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario president Adelina Cecchin says strips educators of their legal right to collectively bargain.
“It’s up to them to take the next step,” says Cecchin. “We have always said we are ready to talk, but not willing to accept our voice going to be eroded.”
ETFO gave the promised 72 hours notice to local parents and students, issuing a statement regarding the strike on Saturday morning. Parents also received notice of the possibility of a strike on Friday and another notice was sent home with students on Monday.
Teachers, occasional teachers and designated early childhood educators from Toronto, Durham, Peel, Waterloo Region, Near North, Grand Erie, and Lambton-Kent boards are also off the job for the day. That means over 35,000 teachers are affected by the “Super Tuesday” strike.
All public elementary schools in the designated areas are closed.
“We regret, but we understand why it has to happen,” says Scott Scantlebury, spokesperson for the GECDSB. “We hope there will be a resolution soon."
Most child care centres operating in the public elementary schools in Windsor continued as usual. A number of community centers and the City of Windsor ran day camps.
Checcin recognizes this is difficult for those who were left scrambling to find child care, but she says the union's stance on Bill 115 is getting lots of support from parents.
“Because they understand, teachers wouldn't do this if they didn't believe. They are hurting teachers and teachers do care about kids," says Checcin.
Classes will resume as scheduled on Wednesday.
