Back to work legislation

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Ontario’s striking high school teachers are being legislated back to work. Education Minister Liz Sandals made the announcement this morning bringing an end to the strike which has kept over 70 000 students out of class.

Sandals introduced the back to work legislation after the province’s labour relations board ruled that the strikes, in Peel, Durham and the Sudbury area were putting the students’ school year in jeopardy. “We respect the teachers and their right to strike but this is about our government prioritizing above all else the needs of students so they can return to school to complete their studies.”

“What we are finding out since 2012 is the government has an agenda, the school boards have an agenda, that agenda is not to respect the process but if they don’t get what they want at the table they’ll be prepared to legislate it.” Paul Elliott president OSSTF.

Although the Ontario liberals have a majority government, they still needed all party consent to push the legislation to the voting stage, that didn’t happen.

“New democrats will not be supporting the unanimous consent motion but we will also not get in the way of the government using its majority to be able to put the legislation forward & go through the normal course of action which my house leader has told me this could be passed by Thursday.” Andrea Horwath, NDP leader.

Although the back to work legislation means that striking teachers could be back in class as early as Friday it doesn’t apply to other school boards. In other words, once this dispute is settled teachers across Ontario at other boards could then walk off the job.