Workers such as preschool teachers, teaching assistants and custodians represented by the Canadian Union of Public Employees plan to walk off the job Friday, despite impending legislation that would make it illegal.
	Several boards, including the Toronto District School Board, have said they will have to close schools because they cannot operate safely without CUPE-represented staff.
	The Ontario government has introduced legislation to enforce a contract for education workers and ban striking if threatened with a heavy fine.
	He hopes to see the bill passed this week, with Premier Doug Ford saying he will do everything he can to ensure children stay in class – CUPE has not said whether its strike will extend beyond Friday .
	CUPE negotiators submitted a counter-offer late on Tuesday night in response to the mandated contract terms in the legislation, and the government is set to review it.
	The union did not elaborate on what it proposed.  The government said it would return to the negotiating table if asked by the mediator and wanted to hear whether CUPE’s new offer was “reasonable”.
	The government initially offered raises of two per cent a year for workers earning less than $40,000 and 1.25 per cent for everyone else, but Education Minister Steven Lecce said the new, mandated four-year deal would give 2.5 per cent annual raises to workers making less than $43,000 and 1.5 percent raises for everyone else.
	CUPE said its workers, who make an average of $39,000 a year, are generally the lowest paid in schools and were asking for annual wage increases of 11.7 percent.
	The union’s original proposal also included overtime at double the pay rate, 30 minutes of paid prep time per day for teaching assistants and ECEs, increased benefits and professional development for all employees.
	Several other unions, including teachers’ unions currently in negotiations with the government, have expressed their solidarity with CUPE.  The most notable example is the Labor International Union of North America – LiUNA – which supported Ford’s Progressive Conservatives in the spring election.
	Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as well as the federal justice and labor ministers, criticized the Ontario government for preemptively including the Constitution clause in the legislation, saying it should not be used to suspend workers’ rights.
	The clause allows the legislature to override parts of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms for a five-year term.
	This report by The Canadian Press was first published on November 2, 2022.

title: “Cupe Is Awaiting Ontario S Response To Its Counter Proposal As The Strike Approaches " ShowToc: true date: “2022-11-26” author: “Thomas Monopoli”

Workers such as preschool teachers, teaching assistants and custodians represented by the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) plan to walk off the job Friday, despite impending legislation that would make it illegal. Several boards, including the Toronto District School Board, have said they will have to close schools because they cannot operate safely without CUPE-represented staff. The Ontario government has introduced legislation to enforce a contract for education workers and ban striking if threatened with a heavy fine. He hopes to see the bill passed this week, with Premier Doug Ford saying he will do everything he can to make sure kids stay in class. CUPE has not said whether its strike will be extended beyond Friday. Debate on the legislation continued at Queen’s Park on Wednesday. Interim NDP Leader Peter Tabun was kicked out of question period after asking when Ford would stop lying, then refused to retract the comment when asked by Speaker Ted Arnott. Arnott also asked several other NDP members to leave the chamber for the day due to disruptive behavior. NEW: Interim NDP leader Peter Tabuns is kicked out of Question Period, asking when the prime minister will stop lying, then refuses to retract the comment pic .twitter.com/p1AqjxMNYw —@CBCLorenda CUPE negotiators submitted a counter-offer late on Tuesday night in response to the mandated contract terms in the legislation, and the government is set to review it. WATCHES | Ontario plans to end education workers’ strike, despite clause:

Ontario plans to use notwithstanding clause to stop strike in education

As Ontario parents prepare for a teacher walkout Friday, closing many schools, constitutional experts are raising concerns about the provincial government’s plan to use the clause to pass anti-strike legislation. The union did not elaborate on what it proposed. The government said it would return to the negotiating table if asked by the mediator and wanted to hear whether CUPE’s new offer was “reasonable”.

CUPE says its workers are generally the lowest paid

The government initially offered raises of two per cent a year for workers earning less than $40,000 and 1.25 per cent for everyone else, but Education Minister Steven Lecce said the new, mandated four-year deal would give 2.5 per cent annual raises to workers making less than $43,000 and 1.5 percent raises for everyone else. CUPE said its workers, who make an average of $39,000 a year, are generally the lowest paid in schools and were asking for annual wage increases of 11.7 percent. The union’s original proposal also included overtime at double the pay rate, 30 minutes of paid prep time per day for teaching assistants and ECEs, increased benefits and professional development for all employees. Several other unions, including teachers’ unions currently in negotiations with the government, have expressed their solidarity with CUPE. The government initially offered raises of two per cent a year for workers earning less than $40,000 and 1.25 per cent for everyone else, but Education Minister Stephen Lecce says the new, four-year deal imposed would give 2.5 per cent annual raises for workers making less than $43,000 and 1.5 percent raises for everyone else. (Evan Mitsui/CBC) The most notable example is the Labor International Union of North America – LiUNA – which supported Ford’s Progressive Conservatives in the spring election. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as well as the federal justice and labor ministers, criticized the Ontario government for preemptively including the Constitution clause in the legislation, saying it should not be used to suspend workers’ rights. The clause allows the legislature to override parts of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms for a five-year term.