Niagara public school boards to hold 1-day strike on Thursday

The Elementary Teachers' Federation of Ontario (ETFO) has announced that, on Thursday, teachers in Niagara public schools will join a one-day strike.

On Saturday, the District School Board of Niagara posted to its website saying parents should "make child care arrangements if needed" and reminded parents that the strike "does not impact secondary schools."

Niagara's Catholic school board said in an Instagram post on Wednesday that it has "advised families of a planned one-day full withdrawal of services of services by members of the Ontario English Catholic Teachers' Association (OECTA) in all Ontario Catholic elementary and secondary schools on (Tuesday) January 21st, 2020." 

The board says all elementary and secondary schools will be closed. Parents will not be required to call in absences. The Tuesday strike will effect Catholic schools across the province.

Strikes will also take place on Thursday at schools in the Avon Maitland, Halton and Lakehead districts.

ETFO has also announced job actions on Friday at schools in the Ontario North East and Bluewater school districts.

On Monday schools in York Region, Toronto and Ottawa-Carleton will strike. On Tuesday teachers in Grand Erie, Trillium Lakelands, Renfrew and Superior-Greenstone are on strike. On Wednesday teachers at Thames Valley, Rainbow and Rainy River school boards will strike.

ETFO President Sam Hammond says the main issues in bargaining include smaller classroom sizes, more resources for students with special needs, protection of their Kindergarten program and fair compensation.

"(Education Minister Stephen) Lecce seems prepared to let his government's damaging cuts to public education proceed instead of taking a responsible approach at the bargaining table," said Hammond in a press release Sunday, adding that the government hasn't returned to the bargaining table since their last session on December 19th.

"We continue to urge the Minister to get back to the table to discuss the critical issues that parents and educators care about."

The Ministry of Education didn't issue a new statement on Sunday, but Lecce said Saturday that it was 'unacceptable' for the union to ramp up job action.