There was a positive mood among education workers on strike Wednesday in Orillia, but they say they’d rather be in the classroom.
Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation (OSSTF) members were picketing outside local public high schools as part of a province-wide, one-day strike, after the union and the province failed to reach a deal by midnight.
“The mood is hopeful. There’s a level of concern, but we’re hopeful,” said Chris Lowery, OSSTF branch president for Twin Lakes Secondary School.
Class sizes and the introduction of mandatory e-learning are among the union’s concerns, he said, noting the student-to-teacher ratio and the funding tied to it “will negatively impact the students.”
“It’ll also mean one out of every eight jobs, potentially, being lost at the secondary level,” he said.
There is also a concern that e-learning “opens the door to private enterprise to offer courses, as opposed to teachers,” Lowery said.
“(The strike) has nothing to do with the economics of education but the future of education itself.”
Lowery said the goal is to get back to school as soon as possible.
“We’re hopeful that both sides will reach a mutually beneficial deal,” he said. “In the event that a deal isn’t reached, we’re prepared to do what it takes. That could be a range of job action activities.”
Picketing was happening at Orillia Secondary School, too, where some of the staff from the Simcoe Muskoka Catholic District School Board joined their public board counterparts.
“It’s just solidarity,” said Lisa Day, an educational assistant who works at Patrick Fogarty Catholic Secondary School.
Everyone on the picket line “wants to be with the kids,” she said, but added the strike is an effective way to show the government how seriously the union members feel about the issues.
“Let’s hope it ends and we don’t have to do it again,” Day said.
Like those on strike, Jodi Lloyd, chair of the Simcoe County District School Board, was “hopeful” both sides would come to an agreement soon.
“Nobody wants labour unrest, so my hope is a deal will be reached before it escalates further,” she said.
While the strike is “obviously disruptive to students and families,” Lloyd acknowledged the seriousness of the union members’ concerns.
“There are significant issues yet to be resolved, particularly class sizes and e-learning,” she said. “The issues that are outstanding are significant and directly impact students.”
As a result of the strike, all Simcoe Muskoka Catholic District School Board elementary and secondary schools were closed to students for the day, as were all Simcoe County District School Board high schools and adult learning centres.
