Ontario elementary teachers say contract offer differs from colleagues

The union representing Ontario's public elementary teachers says it has not been given the same contract offer as their colleagues in high schools and the Catholic system.

The Elementary Teachers Federation is stepping up its work-to-rule campaign Monday and threatening to move to one-day rotating strikes if it doesn't have a tentative agreement within two weeks.

ETFO president Sam Hammond says the government has not offered elementary teachers the same conditions as their high school colleagues.

Hammond says there's a "significant disparity" in how the two levels of schools are funded, which he insists leads to larger class sizes, fewer student supports and poorer working conditions in elementary schools.

Talks with the elementary teachers' union broke off over a week ago and Hammond says the only way to get a fair deal is to return to bargaining.

The Ontario Secondary School Teachers' Federation and the Ontario English Catholic Teachers' Association last week ratified deals that contained raises of 1.5 per cent plus another one-per-cent bonus.