The Elementary Teachers Federation of Toronto has received a no-board report issued by the Ministry of Labour.
The document was provided Friday and it puts the union in a legal strike position as of Nov. 25, 2019.
In an email obtained by Global News sent to over 76,000 members the union said, “Receiving a ‘no board’ report doesn’t mean negotiations have ended.
“The process of asking for a ‘no board’ report places heightened pressure on the government, Ontario Public School Boards’ Association and Council of Trustees’ Associations to focus on reaching an agreement.”
The statement to members also included information that no decisions have been made on job action.
“While ETFO may be in a legal position to take strike action on November 25, 2019, it becomes a strategic decision as to whether or not ETFO will take strike action on that date, or after that date,” the statement read.
Last week, the union announced its members voted 98 per cent in favour of a strike, calling the result an overwhelming mandate for job action if necessary.
The union represents 83,000 elementary public school teachers, occasional teachers and education workers.
In a news release issued moments after Global News broke the story, union president Sam Hammond said, “ETFO is fighting for investment, not cuts in education, but Doug Ford’s Education Minister Stephen Lecce isn’t listening.”
“Doug Ford and his Minister of Education Stephen Lecce have let everyone – parents, students and educators – down,” Hammond added. “This government doesn’t seem to care about students with special needs, our youngest learners in kindergarten, larger elementary class sizes and fewer elementary teachers in schools.
“Parents and educators do.”
On Monday, Lecce said, “I support a deal, not a strike. Our team remains unequivocal in our determination to land deals with our labour partners, as we have successfully completed with CUPE, to provide predictability and certainty to parents and educations while keeping Ontario’s kids in the classroom.”
High school teachers with the Ontario Secondary School Teachers Federation (OSSTF) have already received a no-board report and will be in a legal strike position as of Nov. 18.
—With files from The Canadian Press
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