Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario to hold strike vote

The Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario (ETFO) has announced it will hold a strike vote, according to union vice-president Shirley Bell. The timing of the vote has not yet been determined.

This announcement follows a recent decision by the Ontario English Catholic Teachers’ Association (OECTA) to hold a strike vote in November to demand progress in negotiations. Current bargaining efforts are largely stalled due to a dispute involving the Ontario Labour Relations Board (OLRB). The board is currently determining which topics should be negotiated centrally with the province and which should remain between local unions and school boards.

Unions have accused Education Minister Paul Calandra of attempting to move local issues, such as specific working conditions, into the central bargaining sphere. Conversely, the Ministry of Education stated that union appeals to the OLRB have delayed the start of negotiations and characterized the strike threats as “premature” actions that create “unnecessary panic for parents.”

ETFO represents approximately 84,000 members, including public elementary teachers, occasional teachers, and various education and professional support personnel.