Some Sudbury boards to close schools Wednesday due to plans for one-day OSSTF strike

Some students in Greater Sudbury will get the day off Wednesday with the Ontario Secondary School Teachers' Federation (OSSTF) planning a one-day strike Dec. 4.

The OSSTF not only represents English public high school teachers, but also educational support staff who work at several local boards. 

Harvey Bischof, president of the Ontario Secondary School Teachers' Federation, said last week the one-day strike set for Dec. 4 would go ahead if significant progress isn't made at the bargaining table before that date.

The Rainbow District School Board said all secondary school classes will be cancelled Wednesday, while elementary classes will proceed as scheduled, including the Grade 7 and 8 programs located in high school buildings. School office staff will also be participating in a full withdrawal of services.

The local French public school board, Conseil scolaire public du Grand Nord de l'Ontario (CSPGNO), said classes at all of its schools, both secondary and elementary, will be cancelled Wednesday.

Before and after-school care at the board will also be cancelled that day.

CSPGNO said OSSTF represents educational support staff at the board including library clerks, secretaries, paraprofessionals and early childhood educators.

Parents are urged to find alternate child care for Wednesday.

The French Catholic school board, Conseil Scolaire Catholique Nouvelon, where OSSTF also represents a number of educational support staff, said all of its schools, both secondary and elementary, will be closed Wednesday.

However, its in-school daycares will remain open.

The Sudbury Catholic District School Board said OSSTF does not represent any of its teachers or other employees, so it is unaffected by the one-day strike.

“Sudbury Catholic staff are represented by Ontario English Catholic Teachers’ Association (OECTA) and will therefore not be affected by this strike action; however, traffic delays may be anticipated if a full strike takes place and picket lines are planned at neighbouring public schools,” said a statement from that school board.