WINDSOR -- Teachers in Ontario's English Catholic system have announced a one-day strike on Jan. 21, including in Windsor-Essex.
The Windsor-Essex Catholic District School Board says a result of the job action all of our schools will be closed next Tuesday.
“We understand and respect that OECTA is in a legal strike position, and we appreciate that this job action may cause an inconvenience for students and their families,” says WECDSB spokesperson Stephen Fields.
The WECDSB is asking students and their families remain patient as the collective bargaining process unfolds and they hope that a resolution that satisfies the needs of all parties can be found soon.
The president of the Ontario English Catholic Teachers' Association says the government appears to only "do the right thing" when under pressure, so teachers have little choice but to take the next step in the bargaining process.
Catholic teachers began a work-to-rule campaign today that includes not participating in standardized testing, preparing report card comments or participating in Ministry of Education initiatives.
OECTA president Liz Stuart says the government negotiating team has said it has no authority to reach an agreement that doesn't include "significant, permanent cuts."
Meanwhile, public elementary teachers stepped up their work-to-rule campaign today and are planning for rotating strikes starting next week, while public high school teachers are set to stage the latest in a series of one-day, rotating strikes on Wednesday.
Education Minister Stephen Lecce is urging teachers' unions to stop further escalation.
With files from The Canadian Press in an article first published on Jan. 13, 2020.
