Ontario education workers are striking today and schools across the Lake 88 listening region are closed.
The Progressive Conservative government passed a law imposing a contract on 55-thousand education workers represented by the Canadian Union of Public Employees that bans them from striking.
Education Minister Stephen Lecce told reporters that in the government’s view, the union is to blame for the legislation being passed.
CUPE’s Laura Walton, an Educational Assistant from Belleville told reporters that the illegal strike isn’t a stunt.
CUPE says the law, which uses the notwithstanding clause to protect against constitutional challenges, is an attack on all workers’ bargaining rights. Walton says what happened yesterday at Queen’s Park is nothing more than a strong-arm tactic by the government.
She also says the union plans to pay for, or arrange to pay for, any fines imposed on the workers as a result of the day’s action. It could wind up costing members thousands of dollars to walk the now-illegal picket lines.
Lecce says they had no choice but to pass the legislation after CUPE wouldn’t meet a key demand.
The Education Minister also says when it comes to getting CUPE’s workers back on the job, nothing’s off the table.
Our local boards are not alone, as dozens of others across the province are closing schools today as well.
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