Withdraw 'draconian' legislation, urges teachers' union

The Ontario Secondary School Teachers' Federation (OSSTF) is calling upon the provincial government to withdraw “draconian” legislation that would impose a contract on the province's teachers.

In a press release, the union said the government should “quit scaring and misleading students and parents; to withdraw an unnecessary and draconian piece of legislation that removes workers' bargaining rights and to allow local bargaining to continue.”

The Ontario legislature has been recalled as of Aug. 27 to introduce the bill, which would rein in wages and cut benefits for teachers.

OSSTF president Ken Coran, who represents 60,000 public high school teachers in Ontario, among others, said in a press release strike votes will be postponed in all bargaining units except those in which conciliation is sought by the board.

"I have emphasized continually that taking strike votes is a natural process in bargaining that occurs under the Ontario Labour Relations Act - the law which governs bargaining in Ontario - the law which OSSTF/FEESO has been following," Coran said.

"OSSTF/FEESO is actively engaged in local bargaining with a number of school boards to achieve collective agreements that can be ratified locally.

“We are making progress bargaining with our employers and we no longer need to proceed with strike votes at this time unless a board seeks conciliation. Since our strike votes were announced at the end of June, there have been many developments related to bargaining and we are adjusting our actions accordingly."

OSSTF members will be at work on the first day of school, he said.

“The start of the school year is not in jeopardy."