University of Toronto professor and former deputy education minister Charles Pascal says the unprecedented crisis, and the dramatic response that has altered daily life, have also changed the tone coming from the government. In a statement Friday, Lecce said he remains committed to reaching a deal with the province’s public high school teachers. He said talks broke off because the government showed no flexibility from its bottom line. Join the mailing list to receive daily email updates. There was an error, please provide a valid email address. The Progressive Conservatives announced last March they would increase average high school class sizes from 22 to 28 – which would lead to thousands of fewer teachers in the system – and require students to take four e-learning courses to graduate. The two sides have not participated in negotiations in over two months. Get caught up on the day's top stories and videos, along with the weather webcast and what's in store for CityNews Tonight at 11 p.m. and tomorrow on Breakfast Television. Both that union and the government said they remain under a media blackout regarding the substance of those talks. 333 Bloor Street East, Toronto, Ontario M4W 1G9 © 2002-2020 Rogers Media. But the government is not budging beyond an offer to increase wages and benefits by one per cent a year – the unions have asked for two per cent on salary and around six per cent on benefits – and wants concessions on a regulation that dictates seniority-based hiring. © 2020 Toronto Sun, a division of Postmedia Network Inc. All rights reserved. OSSTF president calls talks ‘entirely unproductive’ as Tuesday midnight strike deadline looms 02.12.2019 Sneh Duggal 0 Education Minister Stephen Lecce … The decision comes after the Ontario government closed all public schools until April 5 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. October 17, Persons Day The government also announced Tuesday it was cancelling all standardized testing for the remainder of the year. {* legalAcceptanceAcceptButton *}, {* backButton *} Historical Vignettes; Chapter One — Background and Chronological Overview. Lecce’s announcement has led to progress with another union. In recent weeks, the province has secured tentative agreements with three of four teachers' unions. The government has partly backed off on both issues, offering to instead increase average high school class sizes to 25 and require two online learning courses, but the unions say that doesn’t go far enough. They include public high school teachers, occasional teachers, educational assistants, continuing education teachers and instructors, early childhood educators, psychologists, secretaries, speech-language pathologists, social workers, plant support personnel, university support staff, and many others in education. The government said Wednesday it does not currently have any dates scheduled to meet with OSSTF, but Bischof said talks could still be conducted safely using technology. The teachers have been without a contract since their last one expired at the end of August, and their union has blamed the Progressive Conservative government for the lack of progress in their negotiations. Comments on this story are moderated according to our Submission Guidelines. "The mediators will call the parties in the new year to discuss next steps.". The province offered to increase average high school class sizes from 22 last year to 23 next year, instead of the government’s original target of 28, and allow an opt-out for e-learning courses it previously said would be mandatory. But with schools now shuttered until at least May because of the pandemic, and the government and teachers working together to help students learn from home, Pascal said the tension built up between all parties appears to have diminished. Subscribe to CityNews Toronto newsletters, I understand that I can withdraw my consent at any time. Teacher union talks to practice social distancing as OSSTF calls off further strikes. OSSTF president Harvey Bischof is interviewed after Ontario Education Minister Stephen Lecce spoke to the media at Queens Park in Toronto, Ont. But the government had said it was not budging beyond an offer to increase wages and benefits by one per cent per year — the unions have asked for two per cent on salary and around six per cent on benefits — and that it wanted concessions on a regulation that dictates seniority-based hiring. Enter your email below and we'll send you another email. The Ontario English Catholic Teachers’ Association returned to bargaining Wednesday. Rogers Media uses cookies for personalization, to customize its online advertisements, and for other purposes. {* createAccountButton *}, You may have created a profile with another. Striking teachers of the Ontario Secondary School Teachers Federation walk the picket line outside of Northern Secondary School in Toronto on Dec. 4, 2019. OSSTF also plans to continue with a rotating strike in several boards, including the province’s largest in Toronto. “There’s a kind of fairness that’s arisen on the scene that’s led to deals with the other federations,” he said. Box 500 Station A Toronto, ON Canada, M5W 1E6. An error has occurred while trying to update your details. In a statement, the Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation (OSSTF) said they were contacted by the mediator on Saturday and will meet with the province on Sunday evening for exploratory talks. "The mediators have suggested that the parties use the holidays to consider their positions, and have therefore suggested tomorrow's meeting be cancelled," the spokesperson said in an email. If you don't see it please check your junk folder. The union that represents public high school teachers and many education workers in Ontario says a one-day strike in 10 boards will proceed on Wednesday now that contract talks with the province have broken off. A welcome email is on its way. Why is the Ontario government changing course on e-learning courses? Travis Dhanraj reports. OSSTF president Harvey Bischof said the union, which has been engaged in only informal discussions with the government since December, is also ready to get back to the bargaining table. Ontario said it will continue contract negotiations with the province’s teachers unions using alternatives to in-person talks in light of COVID-19, a move that came as one union cancelled all further strikes because of the pandemic. But negotiations had resumed with all unions except the OSSTF after the government made recent concessions on two key issues. The man Toronto police say killed 9-year-old Christine Jessop in 1984, Massive fire destroys lobster pound in southern Nova Scotia. Leia todas. We encountered an issue signing you up. Talks between the TTBU and the TDSB about ongoing issues related to school reopening continue. On April 25, 2015, it was announced that talks have failed and as a result OSSTF members employed by the Rainbow District School Board went on strike on April 27, 2015. Please contact us. Please try again. residents relieved Christine Jessop’s killer identified, Calls to change rules of point of entry for coronavirus quarantine, Mi’kmaw fishers have property vandalized, lobsters destroyed, Republican senator mangles Kamala Harris’ name on stage at Trump rally, Ontario Secondary School Teachers' Federation. As for the strike on Wednesday, the OSSTF says these school boards will be affected: Several French school boards are also expected to be affected. Ontario education minister announces rollback on e-learning, class size increases, Who was Calvin Hoover? OSSTF president Harvey Bischof said the union, which has been engaged in only informal discussions with the government since December, is also ready to get back to the bargaining table. The Ontario Secondary School Teachers' Federation (OSSTF) has confirmed that talks broke off on Monday. TORONTO – The union representing Ontario’s public high school teachers said Wednesday that the education minister’s capitulation on class sizes and e-learning moves the parties closer, but it didn’t commit to returning to the bargaining table. 365 Bloor Street East, Toronto, Ontario, M4W 3L4. {* legalAcceptanceAcceptButton *}, {* backButton *} I have to tell you, it’s the reality in which my members are … doing their very best to provide continuity of learning for students, have reached out to students and are worried for them and their well-being.”. Sorry we could not verify that email address. By checking this box, I agree to the terms of service and privacy policy of Rogers Media. The union representing public high school teachers in Ontario has been called back to the bargaining table by the Ministry of Labour’s mediator amid ongoing strike action. The move by the OSSTF comes days after the Elementary Teachers' of Ontario (ETFO), which represents public primary school educators, filed for conciliation saying its talks … Subscribe to CityNews Toronto newsletters, I understand that I can withdraw my consent at any time. OSSTF said more formal bargaining could happen on Monday if warranted and added the talks will cover both the education worker and the teacher/occasional teacher central tables. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. He acknowledged that the pandemic has affected talks, even on a logistical level, with all future bargaining taking place via teleconference. The minister said given Tuesday’s announcement the government should be at the table with all four major unions, not just one. Meanwhile, the Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario negotiated with the government over the weekend but has no new dates set for further meetings. “I’m not worried,” he said. Teachers will resume those duties immediately, Bischof said. All of the province’s four major teachers’ unions have been engaging in various rotating and provincewide strikes over the past several months of bargaining, while trading public jabs and rhetoric with the government. OSSTF President Harvey Bischof said the union is making the move out of an abundance of caution and to avoid any miscommunication during the pandemic. “We just wanted to make absolutely sure that there is no way any of our sanctions would interfere with any actions that are being taken to keep students and people working in education safe,” he said. To encourage thoughtful and respectful conversations, first and last names will appear with each submission to CBC/Radio-Canada's online communities (except in children and youth-oriented communities).