‘It’s just unfair for students’: Durham Region teachers strike

WATCH ABOVE: Classes for more than 20,000 students are cancelled while the union tries to negotiate with the school board. Marianne Dimain reports.

TORONTO – Hitting the picket lines Monday was a tough reality for many of Durham District School Board’s striking high school teachers.

“It was never our intention to ever be out here,” said Dave Barrowclough, OSSTF District 13 president. “You can talk to any teacher in line today, they want to be in school. They want to be in class with their kids.”

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "It was never our intention to ever be out here," said Dave Barrowclough, OSSTF District 13 president. "You can talk to any teacher in line today, they want to be in school. They want to be in class with their kids."

In total, 1,600 full time and 300 occasional teachers from the Durham District School Board began their strike Monday after talks broke down over the weekend. For 21,500 high school students across the region that means no class, and no return date in sight.

These negotiations are the first to be done under a new bargaining system in the province, which involve talks at both the local and provincial levels. Issues like wages would be discussed at the provincial level, with specific district issues negotiated at the local level.

The union says the new system has already affected the process.

“It seems to be a major stumbling block for the board, and I’m really not sure why,” said Barrowclough. “We should be able to agree on an article here and article there, make some moves, but there’s been next to no progress.”

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "It seems to be a major stumbling block for the board, and I'm really not sure why," said Barrowclough. "We should be able to agree on an article here and article there, make some moves, but there's been next to no progress."

There was some progress Monday morning, as central talks resumed between the union and the province. Meanwhile talks at the local level, where teachers have been without a contract since August, remain stalled.

“Maybe that will put some pressure on the school board to say okay, if they’re back on track there, then let’s start having some meaningful discussions,” said OSSTF president Paul Elliott

Education Minister Liz Sandals said Monday this situation is not a flashback to rocky relations during the years of former Ontario Premier Mike Harris.

“We have indicated our willingness to negotiate,” said Sandals. “Which was never something you heard from Mike Harris.”

Meanwhile there is a possibility of more teacher strikes across the province from Sudbury to Peel.

Local students told Global News they want their teachers back in class.

“It’s just unfair for students,” said student Ellen Neal.

“I’m scared we’re going to miss out on experiences with our teachers who we value,” added student Heather Benasa.

With files from Marianne Dimain