Elementary school teachers to step up work-to-rule action June 1

TORONTO – The union representing Ontario elementary school teachers says it is stepping up its work-to-rule action as of June 1.

According to a report in the Toronto Star, a confidential bulletin sent Monday night to members from Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario said teachers will refuse to plan field trips for next year, take part in meetings about students’ transition from one grade to the next or participate in professional development programs.

The teachers, who have been without a contract since the beginning of the school year, started a work-to-rule campaign on May 11.

Union members have already stopped administering standardized tests and adding comments to report cards.

The elementary teachers’ job action comes as more than 70,000 high school students are being kept from class by strikes at boards in Durham Region, Peel Region and Rainbow District, encompassing Sudbury.

The Wynne government on Monday tabled back-to-work legislation after an arm of the Ontario Labour Relations Board advised the province that the school year was in jeopardy for students.

With a file from The Canadian Press