Hamilton public and Catholic schools to close Monday if CUPE strikes

Hamilton's public and Catholic school boards for both English and French-speaking students will be closed Monday if workers with the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) go on strike.

Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board (HWDSB), Hamilton-Wentworth Catholic District School Board (HWCDSB), Conseil scolaire Viamonde and Conseil scolaire catholique MonAvenir have all told families they will pivot to online learning.

The remote learning will be "real-time," similar to online classes during the height of the pandemic.

HWDSB said EarlyON Centres, licensed before-and-after school programs and all authorized recreation programs would be closed.

Early Learning and Child Care Centres (birth to age 3) will stay open on a modified schedule to align with the school bell times.

Friday is the day for students to take home essential items, said the board in a letter to families.

Extra-curricular will continue off HWDSB property but transportation won't be provided.

CUPE wants Ontario to 'invest in services'

Students, parents and staff will know by Sunday at 5 p.m. whether or not Ontario education workers will strike on Monday, CUPE says.

The union served a five-day strike notice on Wednesday after talks with the Ontario government broke down.

CUPE said it had reached a middle ground with the province on wages — both sides agreed to a $1-per-hour raise each year or about 3.5 per cent annually — but said the government "refused to invest in the services that students need and parents expect, precipitating this escalation."

Education Minister Stephen Lecce said CUPE's plan to strike is "unfair to children."

CUPE members make up 500 custodians at HWDSB.

At HWCDSB, that includes 1,000 members like clerical staff, educational assistants, social workers, designated early childhood educators, speech and language pathologists, psychometrics and child and youth social workers.