How important is a salary increase? 3 teachers explain
CBC News | Posted: February 10, 2020 7:34 PM | Last Updated: February 10, 2020
'It's cherrypicking over the 1 per cent': Teacher Maureen Beattie
As strike action continues across the province this week, so does the conversation around how much teachers should be paid.
Three elementary school teachers joined London Morning host Rebecca Zandbergen before heading to the picket line Monday to discuss compensation and other issues.
The province is offering a one per cent salary increase, in line with its own hallmark public sector wage-cap legislation. All four teachers' unions are refusing to budge, agreeing they want a wage hike that meets inflation.
See what these teachers say:
Here's who is on strike this week
Monday
- Public elementary teachers with the Thames Valley District School Board will stage another in a series of rotating strikes.
- All 132 elementary schools in the system will be closed because of the strike.
Tuesday
- Thames Valley elementary teachers return to the picket line to participate in the second province-wide strike by the Elementary Teachers Federation of Ontario (ETFO).
- All elementary schools will be closed for a second straight day as a result.
Wednesday
- It's expected to be classes as usual at public elementary schools in the London area on Wednesday and for the balance of the week.
Thursday
- The Association des enseignantes et des enseignants francoontariens (AEFO) will stage a one-day walkout at all French-language schools in the province.
- The union says it will hold one-day walkouts weekly going forward.
- AEFO represents 12,000 members, including French language teachers in Ontario in both public and Catholic boards, as well as support staff in French-language workplaces.
- The Ontario Secondary School Teachers Federation will hold another day of rotating strikes affecting nine English-language school boards in the province, but the Thames Valley board will not be affected by this job action.
Catholic Board
- There are no plans for further strikes by Catholic teachers in Ontario, including those employed by the London District Catholic Board.