The government of Premier Doug Ford has introduced legislation that it says will keep students in school by imposing a “fair and fiscally responsible” four-year collective agreement on CUPE education workers across the province.
The move comes after CUPE’s Ontario School Boards Council of Unions (OSBCU) gave a five-day notice Sunday of a possible province-wide strike by its 55,000 members.
Laura Walton, educational assistant and president of OSBCU, said the union has been trying to reach a negotiated settlement with the government since June 3, the day after the provincial election.
“It’s been five months since we said we’re ready to get a deal done and two months of students facing badly under-resourced schools this year,” Walton said in Sunday’s announcement.
“When will the Ford government stop with the cuts, quit stalling, and end their threats of anti-democratic legislation? It’s time for Premier Ford and (Education) Minister (Stephen) Lecce to recognize what’s at stake for students trying to learn in the schools they’ve starved of funding.”
The two sides were scheduled to meet again in mediation on Tuesday, but the province stepped in Monday with legislation called the “Keeping Students in Class” Act.
To protect against legal challenges, “which may create destabilizing uncertainty for students and families,” the province said the Act would invoke the notwithstanding clause of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
“Students are finally back in class catching up, following two years of pandemic disruptions,” Lecce said Monday.
“We are disappointed that CUPE is refusing to compromise on their demand for a nearly 50 per cent increase in compensation, representing a price tag close to $19-billion if extended across the sector.
“CUPE has now made the decision to strike, putting their own self interest ahead of Ontario’s nearly two million children, who deserve to stay in class learning.”
With Monday’s legislation, “we are delivering on our promise to parents that our government will do whatever it takes to keep students in class, so they can catch up and get back to the basics of learning,” Lecce said.
The province said terms of the four-year contract imposed on CUPE workers include:
- A salary increase of 2.5 per cent (increased from an initial offer of 2 per cent) for employees with the top end of their salary/wage grids below $43,000 annually (increased from $40,000) and 1.5 per cent (increased from 1.25 per cent) for employees with the top end of their salary/wage grids above that amount for each year of the contract;
- An increase in benefits contributions resulting in a $6,120 annual employer contribution per employee by August 31, 2026;
- Funding through the Support for Students Fund, estimated to support up to 875 teachers and between 1,600 and 1,830 education workers;
- Modification to sick leave and short-term disability leave plan provisions that “protect stability of student learning,” while maintaining “generous” pension, benefits and sick leave programs;
- $4.5 million in funding for apprenticeship training; and
- An extension of “modified” job security provisions.
The province said Ontario’s education workers are already among the best paid compared to other provinces, with the average salary for a CUPE employee at $26.69 per hour.
“The government will continue labour bargaining with Ontario’s other education unions to reach fair agreements for workers, while ensuring students remain in-class without disruption,” the province said in the announcement.
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