The Canadian Union of Public Employees says its 55,000 members are participating in a “Political Protest” after talks ended Thursday without an agreement between the union and the Ontario government. The strike comes hours after Ontario passed legislation to impose a four-year contract on education workers and make industrial action illegal. In a statement, CUPE said all education workers would be “out of Civil Protest until further notice”. Picket lines will be set up at the following locations in Ottawa today:
St. Laurent and Cyrville NDP MPP Chandra Pasma’s office at 1580 Merivale Rd. PC MPP Lisa MacLeod’s office at 250 Greenbank Rd. PC MPP Merrilee Fullerton’s Office at Eagleson Road and Michael Cowpland Drive Liberal MPP Stephen Blais’ office at Tenth Line Road and Innes Road
The union says pickets will be set up from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
CUPE also plans to set up picket lines at several locations in eastern Ontario:
PC MPP Steve Clark’s office on Strowger Avenue in Brockville The Smiths Falls Memorial Center on Cornelia Street in Smiths Falls Liberal MPP Ted Hsu’s office on Princess Street in Kingston PC MPP Ric Bresee’s office on East Street in Napanee PC MPP Todd Smith’s office in Belleville Renfrew Town Hall MPP John Yakabuski’s office on Isabella Street in Pembroke.
CUPE represents educational support staff in three Ottawa school boards.
The Ottawa Catholic School Board and Conseil des Ecoles Publiques de l’Est de l’Ontario said schools will remain closed today and classes will shift to online learning. “Our students would not be safe to be in school, so (Friday) our students will be staying home. Our staff will connect with them and find out what logistical challenges they may have,” Ottawa Catholic School Board Director of Education Thomas D. said Amico. “We also know that there will be some parents who choose not to have their children participate in distance learning, so we will collect all that information.” D’Amico says today will be used for staff to set up online learning for students, and classes will resume the regular school schedule on Monday if the strike continues. “Distance learning starts (Friday) with a check-in, so the teacher will connect with the students. It will be asynchronous, meaning once they check in they will be assigned some work that will be done, but not in internet. -in person,” D’Amico told CTV News Ottawa. While the Conseil des ecoles catholiques du Centre-Est has 160 CUPE members on its board, all schools will remain open. The Ottawa Carleton District School Board says all schools will remain open as there are no CUPE members employed by the board.
