Last Ontario teachers’ union reaches tentative deal with province
The last of four unions representing Ontario teachers has come to a tentative deal with the provincial government.
Education Minister Stephen Lecce announced the new central agreement with the Ontario English Catholic Teachers’ Association (OECTA) Tuesday morning.
“For the first time in nearly a generation, Ontario’s government successfully negotiated deals with all teacher unions that averted strikes or the withdrawal of services,” Lecce said in a statement.
“We fulfilled our promise to Ontario families: to deliver peace and stability to students, as we get back-to-basics in Ontario classrooms.”
OECTA represents more than 36,500 teachers employed by English Catholic publicly-funded school boards in Ontario.
In early December, the union announced it was moving to conciliation, a formal mediation process in which a third-party is brought in to work with both sides and help find a resolution.
It’s a common process prior to union members engaging in strikes or work action. About 97 per cent of its members voted in favour of a strike.
The province has also reached deals with the Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario, the Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation, and the Association des enseignantes et des enseignants franco-ontariariens.
Members of OECTA still have to ratify the tentative agreement with the Ontario government.
This is a developing news story. More to come.
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