London District Catholic School Board (LDCSB) schools will be closed and students will shift to remote learning should a provincewide walkout by thousands of education workers go ahead on Friday, the board said Tuesday.
In a statement, board officials said that in-school classes would be cancelled and schools would be closed to students and staff should a full withdrawal of services take place.
“Learning for students will continue remotely through the Virtual Learning Environment (VLE). Teachers will be connecting with their students with details,” the statement reads.
The school board says before- and after-school programs, co-op placements and Community Use of Schools programs and events will be cancelled as well, and school daycares and family centres, and St. Patrick Adult and Continuing Education will be closed.
International language programs will also be cancelled on Saturday, the board says. The LDCSB office will be open, and the board says non-CUPE staff are encouraged to work remotely.
“We understand this may have an enormous impact on families. Parents and guardians need to consider alternate childcare arrangements,” LDCSB spokesperson Mark Adkinson said in a statement.
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“These decisions were made in the interests of student and staff safety, security and well-being. We appreciate your patience and understanding at this time.”
The Thames Valley District School Board has said it too will close schools and shift students to remote learning should the walkout take place.
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On Monday, the province introduced legislation to impose a contract on education workers with the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) and avert a strike set to start Friday.
The government said it intends to use the notwithstanding clause to keep the eventual law in force despite any constitutional challenges. The clause allows the legislature to override portions of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms for a five-year term.
The move drew criticism from Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who said the use of the clause “to suspend workers’ rights is wrong.”
CUPE, which represents roughly 55,000 education workers, including librarians, custodians and early childhood educators, said its members will walk off the job despite the legislation. More than 96 per cent of education worker members voted in favour of striking.
According to LDCSB, approximately 1,300 of its 3,500 staff are CUPE members.
CUPE has been seeking annual salary increases of 11.7 per cent, saying that its workers, which make on average $39,000 per year, are generally the lowest paid in schools.
The government had been offering raises of two per cent a year for workers making less than $40,000 and 1.25 per cent for all others.
The new, imposed four-year deal would give 2.5 per cent annual raises to workers making less than $43,000 and 1.5 per cent raises for all others, according to Stephen Lecce, the province’s education minister.
— with files from Global News’ Colin D’Mello and The Canadian Press
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