The Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), which represents 55,000 support workers such as custodians, administrative staff and education support workers, said they were striking “until further notice,” hinting that the strike would continue into next week.
Premier Doug Ford and Education Minister Steven Lecce voted through anti-strike legislation Thursday to impose a four-year contract on teachers that prohibits them from striking.
As part of the bill, striking workers could face a daily fine of up to $4,000, while the union could be fined $500,000.
If the maximum penalty is imposed, the daily bill could reach $220 million a day.
CTV News Toronto has live coverage of the job action below.

11:45 am

Unifor has just announced it is donating $100,000 to help striking CUPE teachers hit by government fines.
“The national union and ORC will each donate $50,000, for a total of $100,000 in CUPE strike support to pay fines imposed due to Strike Bill 28, the law passed on November 3, 2022, which removes from teachers their Charter-protected right to strike and imposed an undemocratic contract,” the union said in a press release.

11:10 am

The Ontario Secondary Education Teachers Federation (OSSTF/FEESO), which stands in solidarity with CUPE, issued the following statement in response to the Ford government using the clause to pass anti-strike legislation on Thursday:

10:53 am

Bird said behind-the-scenes planning at TDSB was underway to quickly transition students to “modern” learning if needed. 
“If the job action continues next week, we will move as quickly as we can to modern live remote classroom education, obviously, as quickly as we can,” he told CP24.
He said plans are already in place to distribute computers to students who do not have their own at home if the work continues for a long time.
TDSB updates will come to parents and staff as news develops, Bird says.

10:33 am

More than 100 protests are taking place today, which have led to the closure of schools across the province.  Here are Northeastern Ontario’s school board closures, along with the locations of local hotlines.

10:25 am

Toronto District School Board (TDSB) spokesperson Ryan Bird confirmed to CP24 that schools will remain closed Monday and during the strike.
From Friday 4 November and during the CUPE strike, all TDSB schools will be closed for in-person learning for all students.  Read our latest job update here:

— Toronto District School Board (@tdsb) November 3, 2022

10:12 am

The duration of the strike, which will affect how long classrooms will be closed, is still unknown.  However, Walton is telling parents to have a contingency plan for Monday as they expect to hit the picket line indefinitely until a new agreement is reached.
“We want to get back in front of our children as soon as possible, but we can’t go back when you take away our charter rights, when you take away our human rights, and on top of that, you don’t give extra money for services and you don’t give these workers a living wage ».

10 am

Laura Walton, president of CUPE’s Ontario School Council, stands outside Lecce’s office.  He says the minister never really showed up at the negotiating table.
Responding to the impending fines the Ford government has threatened teachers with for striking – up to $4,000 a day for each individual or $500,000 a day for the union – Walton said CUPE members were “protected” by the union more than it is from the government.
“But I think the bigger question is, what is this government so afraid of? That it’s willing to go to these extraordinary measures to force workers to stop fighting for what should be theirs? And I think that’s the bigger question more than any other. Another fine, more than any other legislation. What is Doug Ford, what is Stephen Lecce, what are they afraid of?”

9:40 am

CUPE President Fred Hahn shares an emotional response to the strike with CP24:
“I expected there to be a crowd here this morning, but walking around and talking to our members, I’m overcome with emotion because I know who these workers are. I know they’re mostly women. I know their wages are pitifully low, $39,000 vs. average. I know most of them get laid off in the summer. And yet, they’re willing to stand up and fight for themselves, fight for their students and their supporters, and in fact, they’re fighting for every worker in this province ».

9:08 am

“Surely it overrides the Charter of Rights and Freedoms, right?”  a protester told CP24 while holding a pink CUPE sign outside Queen’s Park.
Another shouted, “Yes, that’s right. We’ll be strong and proud.”

8:45 am

Many supporters of the education workers hold placards for fun in Ford and Lecce.  One says, “Watch out for snakes in Queen’s Park,” while another says, “Dumb and Dumber.”

8:30 am

More than 1,000 supporters have already arrived outside Queen’s Park, just 30 minutes from the strike’s official start time.
When one protester was asked why he was there, he told CP24, “To defend rights and be able to negotiate our freedom.”
Ontario education workers strike in front of Queen’s Park on November 4, 2022. (Brian Weatherhead/CTV News Toronto)

8:12 am

In response to CUPE’s “illegal” protest, Lecce released the following statement.
“Immediately after the Keeping Students in Class Act was promulgated, we made a submission to the Ontario Labor Relations Board in response to the illegal CUPE strike.  The proceedings started last night and will continue today.  Nothing is more important right now than getting all students back in the classroom, and we will use every tool at our disposal to do that.”

8 a.m

The strike has officially begun.  In Queen’s Park, the main hub where education workers gather, many hold signs in support saying “No Cuts to Education” and “Cuts Hurt Kids”.
As early as 6 in the morning, the organizers started preparing for the day.

7:35 am

#Teachers is trending on Twitter in Canada.  However, teachers are not on strike.  It is education workers such as custodians, administrative staff and education support workers who are taking part in mass strike action today.
Also trending is #CUPE, which is the name of the union representing the striking members and stands for Canadian Union of Public Employees.
I don’t know who needs to hear this, but if CUPE workers are necessary to keep schools open and kids in classrooms…then they are also necessary enough to get a decent wage.  I urge you: Support CUPE workers… and stand up to starvation wages everywhere.  #ISTandWithCUPE

— Dr. Amit Arya (@AmitAryaMD) November 3, 2022

7 am

Already, people are starting to prepare for the day outside Queen’s Park on this dark and foggy morning. 
Supporters begin gathering at Queen’s Park for a strike by Ontario education workers on Friday, November 4, 2022.

6:35 am

Ontario education workers will gather at Queen’s Park for a rally expected to begin at 8 a.m.
Education workers will also picket outside local MPP offices.

6:20 am

How did we get here?  Why is CUPE going on strike in Ontario?
This is a full breakdown of what CUPE is asking for in its negotiations with the Ford government, including the clause that does not apply.

6:15 am

Don’t know what to do with your kids today?  Here is a list of some fully supervised programs running.

5:30 am

Here is a complete list of school boards that will be closed due to today’s general strike. 
From Friday 4 November and during the CUPE strike, all TDSB schools will be closed for in-person learning for all students.  Read our latest job update here:

— Toronto District School Board (@tdsb) November 3, 2022