Premier warns teachers that one-day walkouts constitute 'illegal' strikes
Premier Dalton McGuinty is warning Ontario’s public school teachers that planned one-day walkouts would constitute "illegal" strikes.
His admonition came Wednesday evening, after the Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario (ETFO) sent out a press release declaring its members would stage a "day of political action" on Friday.
'I know teachers are law-abiding. I know they do not want to break the law. And I am urging them not to.' —Dalton McGuinty, Ontario Premier
"A strike on Friday would be an illegal strike," McGuinty said.
"I know teachers are law-abiding. I know they do not want to break the law. And I am urging them not to."
The premier said it is the government’s "full expectation that teachers will be in school on Friday and every day in keeping with their employment obligations."
To prevent the ETFO protest from proceeding, McGuinty said the government will go to the Ontario Labour Relations Board with an application in an attempt to "prevent the threatened illegal strike activity."
The government filed papers to the OLRB on Wednesday night and will have its preliminary hearing on Thursday at 3 p.m., according to Paris Meilleur, a spokesperson for Education Minister Laurel Broten.
"We will be making the case for a quick decision to give certainty to parents and students," Meilleur said in a statement.
Late Wednesday, the Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation, which represents around 60,000 public high school educators, announced it is following ETFO’s suit, planning its own one-day walkout for Jan. 16.
ETFO is protesting the government’s decision to impose contracts on tens of thousands of public elementary and secondary teachers, powers afforded to the province by the controversial Bill 115.
"Our members voted overwhelmingly back in the fall to protest if the government imposes a contract," said Lisa Hammond, president of ETFO's Hamilton-Wentworth Teacher local.
"The government has imposed a contract on us, so we're going to do just that."
"We don't see that as an illegal strike," Hammond added. "We see this a political protest."
The Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board responded Wednesday afternoon, indicating its elementary schools would be closed on Friday.
"Without teachers in our schools, it will be impossible to maintain a safe environment, so we're cancelling classes and transportation for our elementary schools," said board chair Tim Simmons.
"It's one day only and we're going to provide students, families and stakeholders with updates as things progress."
Classes will resume on Monday, he said.