Public elementary teachers step up job action

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The Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario has escalated its work-to-rule campaign today. It comes after the province and union couldn’t agree on a tentative deal during contract negotiations this month.

Ontario’s public elementary school teachers started phase three of their campaign after receiving a bulletin from the union on Friday, which laid out the plan for the weeks leading up to october. Teachers won’t be providing comments on report cards or filling in for absent teachers.

Parent-teacher interviews won’t be happening, teachers will not respond to administrative emails and classroom blogs and websites will not be updated.

Union officials say each week the teachers will hold what they call Wynne Wednesdays named after the premier. On Wednesdays teachers will refrain from taking part in activities outside of the classroom including extra-curriculars; they are encouraged to wear solidarity colours and participate in pickets and rallies.

Premier Kathleen Wynne has a granddaughter in grade one. She says she doesn’t want students getting caught in the middle of this. Wynne says she knows her granddaughter will likely see her name on a protesting teacher’s t-shirt.

“I don’t think the teachers in my granddaughter’s school are mad at me. I think it’s being personalized because that’s a political tactic, but I don’t think they are mad at me. I think they know that it’s part of a process and I’m not going to take it personally.”

“I think it’s better if we don’t get into that kind of personal dynamic because when this is over, and we reach an agreement, I hope soon, we will then be working together again. Going through these labour discussions, if you let your personal feelings get involved it’s really much harder after the fact to come back.”

Premier Wynne remains hopeful that a deal will be reached soon and that it will be similar to the one negotiated with the other teachers in the province.

If there’s no progress being made at the bargaining table the teachers will begin rotating strikes starting in October. The details haven’t yet been finalized.