Premier Ford in Brampton warns teachers to be back in school for fall as contract talks loom
Published June 30, 2022 at 12:01 pm
BRAMPTON — Premier Doug Ford says the province will negotiate fairly with Ontario teachers, but warns that students must be in school in the fall “no matter what.”
Speaking in Brampton on Thursday, Ford said the province will give more than a 1 per cent raise to teachers, whose contracts expire on Aug. 31.
“It’s not going through the roof, but it’s going to be very fair to everyone,” Ford said while at a press conference to reaffirm the province’s gas and fuel tax cuts which kick in on July 1.
“But my message to the teachers union is one thing – those kids need to be back in school in September, and they have to be back in school with extra curricular activities,” he added.
Those extra curricular activities have been cut in the past when teachers work to rule.
Four of the five major education unions have already taken the first step to start bargaining by sending a notice of intent to the province.
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Ford said he has confidence in Education Minister Stephen Lecce “fairly negotiating a deal” that “is going to be more than 1 per cent.”
“I get it, I understand costs are going up. But we can’t have the kids out of school, no matter what,” Ford said.
The Progressive Conservatives had a poor relationship with the unions over the previous four years, with teachers staging various strikes and work-to-rule campaigns during the last round of negotiations.
With files from The Canadian Press
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