Students of the Thames Valley District School Board (TVDSB) and the London District Catholic School Board (LDCSB) will continue with independent and remote learning next week “until further notice,” both school board’s said Sunday.
Schools will remain closed and transportation will not be running amid CUPE’s strike.
“In-person learning cannot operate safely, and devices cannot be deployed at this time without CUPE staff,” TVDSB said.
Additionally, the Catholic school board said that offsite secondary athletics will continue amid the ongoing strike.
In addition, before/after school programs, Child Care Centres and EarlyON Family Centres at Thames Valley schools will also be closed until further notice.
The following programs and buildings will also be cancelled or closed until LDCSB schools reopen to students:
- daycare centres
- before and after school programs
- community use of school programs/events
- St. Patrick Adult and Continuing Education
- family centres
- co-op placements
- after school tutoring
- international language programs
A contentious battle over whether a strike by 55,000 education-support workers is “illegal” has dragged on into a fourth day.
Lawyers for the Ford government and the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) made their initial arguments at the Ontario Labour Relations Board, which will decide on a request by the Ford government to deem the walkout by union workers illegal.
The marathon hearings resumed Sunday with government lawyers arguing against the union’s claim that their walk-out is a political protest.
CUPE represents around 2,500 full-time TVDSB employees and 1,000 casual positions which include educational assistants, early childhood educators, office staff, technical support and custodial and maintenance staff. Approximately 1,300 staff are within LDCSB.
— With files from Global News’ Colin D’Mello and Isaac Callan