The Ontario government and the union that represents thousands of education workers say they are set to resume talks Friday to head off a looming strike.
Roughly 55,000 support workers including custodians, clerical workers, and early childhood educators plan to walk off the job on Monday after holding a work-to-rule campaign this past week.
A number of Ontario school boards, including the three largest, have said they will close if the labour disruption goes ahead. They say the closures are necessary to ensure student safety,
which they say would be compromised without CUPE workers on site.
Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board sent a note to parents stating schools will remain open for teaching and learning during the instructional day. Doors will open 15 minutes before bell time and close 15 minutes after bell time which means all before- and after-school programs will be cancelled.
Contracts for all of the province’s public school employees expired at the end of August.
Talks are scheduled to resume at 4:30 p.m.
List of school board decisions to stay open or closed if CUPE support workers go on strike Monday.
Hamilton–Wentworth District School Board – OPEN
Hamilton–Wentworth Catholic District School Board– CLOSED
District School Board of Niagara – CLOSED
Niagara Catholic District School Board – CLOSED
Halton District School Board – OPEN
Halton Catholic District School Board– CLOSED
Grand Erie District School Board – CLOSED
Brant Haldimand Norfolk Catholic District School Board – OPEN