Bill 28 to be repealed, schools open Nov 8
UPDATE #2 – Today, the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) announced that they would withdraw job action beginning on Tuesday, Nov. 8 due to an agreement to repeal Bill 28.
As a result, all SCDSB schools, learning centres, and before and after school programs will fully reopen to students on Tuesday, Nov. 8.
UPDATE – Simcoe County District School Board has closed schools this week pending resolution of current labour action.
“As we go into the weekend, we want our families to know that we are closely monitoring the evolving labour situation in the province involving the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) and the Ontario Public Services Employees Union (OPSEU),” said the school board in a Nov. 4 update.
“Due to uncertainty regarding the current labour situation, and potential for continued labour disruption next week, all SCDSB schools, learning centres, and before and after school programs will be closed to students from Monday, Nov. 7 to Friday, Nov. 11, 2022.”
Students will receive assigned coursework through the virtual learning platform established by their teacher.
The school board has said that all schools, learning centres, and before and after school programs will resume regular operations and will reopen to students should the current labour disruption be resolved.
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CUPE is urging its members to join a political protest on Friday, Nov. 4.
The closest picket line will be at Simcoe-Grey MPP Brian Saunderson’s Stayner office on Highway 26.
Union members are protesting a “final offer” from the government of a wage increase of 2.5 per cent for employees earning less than $25.95 per hour, and 1.5 per cent for those earning more, claiming inadequate protections against job cuts, no paid prep time for education workers who work directly with students and a cut to the sick leave/ short-term disability plan amongst other concerns.
“[Minister of Education Stephen] Lecce calls this offer a generous one,” said CUPE Ontario president Fred Hahn. “A half per cent wage increase to an already-insulting offer isn’t generous. An additional 200 bucks in the pockets of workers earning $39,000 isn’t generous. It wouldn’t even be generous to accept our proposal – it would be necessary, reasonable, and affordable. It’s simply what’s needed in our schools.”
CUPE has more than 280,000 members and represents education assistants, administrative assistants, custodians, bus drivers, cafeteria workers, ESL or literacy instructors, and other non-teacher roles in schools and board offices.
The union is opposing Bill 28, the Keeping Students in Class Act, which would allow the government to fine striking workers $4,000 per day and use the notwithstanding clause to impose a new contract on the province’s education workers.
“Lecce and [Premier Doug] Ford might think they can just rely on this bully tactic of legislation. But we’ve been in mass meetings the last week with education workers – frontline workers who’ve resoundingly expressed their commitment to ensuring good wages, work conditions, and educational environments. On Friday, regardless of what this government does, we will be engaging in province-wide political protest where no CUPE education worker will be on the job until we get a real deal. Our members will not have their rights legislated away. Now’s the time to stand up for ourselves and public education and that’s just what we’re going to do.”
