TORONTO – Education Minister Liz Sandals says it’s disappointing mediated talks with secondary school teachers failed to result in an agreement, but she remains committed to reaching a negotiated settlement.
However, Sandals said in a statement Sunday that if she gets word from the Education Relations Commission that the school year is in jeopardy, the government will “take the appropriate action as quickly as possible.”
READ MORE: School boards filing application to declare teachers’ strikes unlawful
The Ontario Secondary School Teachers Federation said Saturday that two days of talks with a mediator failed to make any progress, and talks were at an impasse.
Union president Paul Elliott accuses the government of continuing to demand concessions that he says would lead to inferior learning conditions for students.
The union plans to apply to the provincial labour ministry for conciliation – the teachers must first use the government third-party assistance to try to reach a contract before they can take provincewide strike action.
Sandals says she remains committed to reaching a negotiated settlement the government can afford.
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