Stephen Lecce: Minister of Education for Ontario and the MPP for King-Vaughan
Tuesday, 8th November 2022: Premier Doug Ford, Stephen Lecce, Minister of Education for Ontario and the parents were relieved when the Schools of Ontario reopened, after the Union of Education Workers withdrew its call for an indefinite strike. For two years, due to Covid, School education has suffered, though major efforts for online education were taken up during the last two years. The hope is that all concerned will understand that it is important that the Schools are now permitted to do their work without any interruptions.
Brief Background: The CUPE’s Ontario School Board Council of Unions represents 55,000 Ontario education workers. The CUPE includes education assistants, early childhood educators, custodians, administrative assistants and drivers.
The collective agreement between the CUPE and the Government of Ontario expired on August 31, 2021. The discussions about the new collective agreement started and a mediator was brought in. The mediator gave up by saying that the gap between the CUPE’s demands and the offer by the Government of Ontario was too large to be amenable to any mediation.
The Union said on November 2, 2022 that if no agreement was reached, the workers would go out on strike from Friday, 4th November and the strike would continue “until further notice.”
Ontario’s Progressive Conservative government used the notwithstanding clause to pass the controversial Bill 28, on November 3, making it illegal for education workers who are members of the CUPE to go on strike and forcing a contract on roughly 55,000 employees.
The Education workers of CUPE, were joined by members of Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU) from the Peel and York district school boards, in going on strike on Friday, 4th November 2022, as a protest against the legislation.
The Schools of Ontario remained closed on 4th and 7th November 2022.
On Monday, 7th November 2022, Premier Doug Ford promised to withdraw Bill 28, if the Union withdrew the strike and returned to the negotiation table for the new Collective Agreement. The Unions withdrew the Call for indefinite strike, issued on November 2, 2022 and the Schools reopened on Tuesday 8th November 2022.
Note: Please read ‘Fundamental Rights of Canadians: Let’s Defend’ at DiGiNews360.com