Ontario looking at potential contract extensions for teachers
Posted Oct 3, 2016 02:06:24 PM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
TORONTO – Ontario’s Liberal government is looking at extending some teachers’ contracts, which could ensure there would be no contentious education bargaining in the lead-up to the 2018 election.
Premier Kathleen Wynne says the issue arose as part of discussions with education-sector unions over a court ruling earlier this year that said the government violated their collective bargaining rights.
Legislation in 2012, known as Bill 115, imposed contracts on teachers that froze some of their wages and limited their ability to strike, so five unions took the government to court.
The judge sided with them, but left the question of a remedy up to the government and unions to decide.
Wynne says the idea of potential contract extensions is part of those ongoing discussions, but when Education Minister Mitzie Hunter was asked today if it is an option for each of those unions, she said she didn’t know.
Teacher and education-worker contracts currently expire Aug. 31, 2017 and bargaining for the next deals had been likely to start in the spring, about a year before the next provincial election is expected.
