Ontario public high school teachers to hold strike vote amid stalled bargaining

Ontario's public high school teachers will cast their ballots in November to determine if they are prepared to strike, signaling that all major education unions will seek strike authorizations from their members this fall. The Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation (OSSTF) will conduct voting from November 6 to 16. In addition, the remaining four prominent education unions, encompassing elementary teachers and Catholic teachers, have also set strike voting dates for November.

A strike vote does not automatically result in a strike. OSSTF president Martha Hradowy conveyed in a statement that the opportunity to vote enables the union to enhance its bargaining position and sends a strong message to the provincial government that its members are united. Currently, education contracts have lapsed as of the end of August, yet negotiations are at a standstill as the Ontario Labour Relations Board deliberates over a dispute between unions and the government concerning which matters should be collectively bargained centrally and which should be handled by local unions and school boards.