Rotating strikes by Ontario elementary teachers to continue next week

Ontario’s public elementary teachers say they will be carrying their rotating strikes into a second week.

A strike on Monday by the Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario will hit the Simcoe, Waterloo, Keewatin-Patricia and Penetanguishene Protestant Separate school boards.

Today, elementary teachers are on strike in the Thames Valley, Rainbow and Rainy River school boards.

Union president Sam Hammond says government negotiators haven’t responded to ETFO’s proposals on supports for students with special needs or addressing violence in schools.

2:58 Battle over public education in Ontario escalates

Education Minister Stephen Lecce has framed compensation as the sticking point in negotiations with all of the major teachers’ unions, but Hammond says that has barely been discussed at the bargaining table.

All of Ontario’s four major teachers’ unions are engaging in some form of job action during a contentious round of contract talks, as key issues include larger class sizes and mandatory online courses.