Contracts for Ontario's teachers and education workers are set to expire at the end of summer, leading union leaders to urge the education minister to initiate the bargaining process earlier than normal. They emphasize that urgent issues, such as class sizes, need immediate attention to ensure stability in classrooms and enhance student success.
In a joint statement released on Monday, union presidents expressed their desire for early negotiations as a proactive measure. Martha Hradowy, president of the Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation (OSSTF), described this as a practical and responsible step. She stated, “It gives everybody the time and space needed for meaningful discussions focused on solutions, like smaller class sizes and better learning conditions.” Hradowy underscored the need for better recruitment and retention strategies for both teaching and education workers, alongside necessary investments in staffing and improved health and safety supports.
The unions are advocating for Education Minister Paul Calandra to utilize his authority to issue a regulation that would permit negotiations to begin up to 180 days before the current collective agreements expire on August 31. If approved, this could allow bargaining to start as early as this week. However, Calandra's office responded by stating that adhering to the Labour Relations Act, which mandates notice to bargain 90 days before contract expiration, would be sufficient to reach a fair agreement before contracts expire.
The previous round of negotiations in Ontario was notably contentious, culminating in a two-day strike by education workers represented by the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE). This job action concluded after the government agreed to repeal legislation that imposed contracts on CUPE members and restricted their right to strike, utilizing the notwithstanding clause to override certain Charter rights.
Additionally, Minister Calandra has indicated plans for a significant overhaul of school board governance, potentially eliminating the role of trustees. David Mastin, president of the Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario (ETFO), warned that such changes could greatly affect public education and the bargaining process. He noted, “If the government is successful in eliminating parent voice in democracy, in public education at the local level, that’s going to have a profound impact on public education moving forward.” He further stated that trustees play a crucial role in the bargaining process at both central and local levels.
Key bargaining priorities outlined by ETFO will include compensation, recruitment and retention strategies, and addressing class sizes. OSSTF also aims to focus on class sizes, particularly in the context of the recent elimination of the requirement for Grade 9 students to choose between applied and academic streams—a change known as destreaming. Hradowy explained that this shift introduced additional complexities into classrooms that would be more manageable with smaller class sizes.
She criticized the lack of necessary supports, investments, and professional development provided alongside the implementation of destreaming, stating, “When the government introduced destreaming just after the pandemic, the supports, investments and professional development did not come with that implementation.” Hradowy emphasized the need for meaningful dialogue with the government regarding the appropriate implementation of destreaming, asserting that if equity is the goal, the funding and staffing must reflect that commitment.
NDP education critic Chandra Pasma supported the call for early bargaining, highlighting that it allows both parties to collaborate and achieve a fair deal. She remarked, “If the government gives the green light for early negotiations, it allows both sides to bargain in good faith and focus on what matters most: student outcomes, safe classrooms, and a strong public education system.”
