Ontario education workers continue contract negotiations with state as strike deadline approaches

TORONTO — Parents across Ontario will find out later today if 55,000 education workers intend to strike for the second time this month.

The Civil Service Union of Canada and the province have been in labor negotiations all weekend and the union has set a deadline to reach an agreement by 5pm today.

The Union Council of the Ontario School Board of CUPE has said that if talks fail, members will quit work en masse starting Monday, and several school boards have said that learning will be moved online in the event of a strike. said to move to

The union went on strike for two days earlier this month, but the strike ended after the state promised to repeal laws that impose contracts on union members and prohibit the right to strike.

CUPE, which represents workers such as educational assistants and custodians, said the two sides recently agreed to a 3.59% pay increase, but unions are still fighting for higher staff levels.

Education Minister Steven Lecce issued a statement on Saturday afternoon touting the government’s improved proposals and calling on CUPE to call off the proposed strike to keep students in classes.