In an effort to push stalled bargaining with the provincial government forward, most elementary and secondary teachers in Ontario are calling for a strike vote in the fall.
On Monday the Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario (ETFO), who represents about 83,000 public school teachers as well as support personnel, issued a statement saying these votes will take place across the province from mid-September to mid-October.
The ETFO’s goal is to reach fair and reasonable agreements without having to take job action, the statement read.
"We need the government’s full attention on bargaining so we can address pressing concerns in public education.”
In a document provided to ETFO members in June and obtained by CTV News, details of of the union's key negotiation points show the province offered a 1.25 per cent increase for each year of the four year agreement, totalling five per cent.
Meanwhile, the same document shows the union was seeking a one per cent increase annually, plus a cost of living adjustment.
The Ontario Secondary School Teacher's Federation (OSSTF) said it will also be seeking a strike mandate early this fall if the two sides can't come to a deal.
Speaking on AM800's The Shift with Patty Handysides, local ETFO president Mario Spagnuolo says instead of coming to the table with solutions the provincial government is bringing more obstacles and barriers.
He says members are really frustrated.
"When I talk to teachers on the front line, and support staff on the front line, they're saying that something needs to be done," Spagnuolo continued. "And as much as we've tried to work with this government over the last year at the bargaining table it's led to nothing but frustration and stalemate."
Spagnuolo says he understands the worries of parents, but wanted to point out that members are worried as well because no one wants to strike.
He says the place they want to be is in the classroom, but they need the government to understand the challenges so many in the education field are facing.
"Just because we're going for a strike vote, first of all it takes time, it takes weeks at a time. So the school year starting is not in jeopardy, that's not an issue. It will take us until October to complete the process itself, so that might help with some stress levels for parents and guardians out there as well as teachers and education workers."
Spagnuolo says there are multiple layers to the bargaining, including issues like staffing, cost of living, special education funding, and class sizes.
"Class has been an issue for years, and it hasn't been addressed appropriately. And that's impacting things like violence in our classrooms, where we're seeing more and more students exhibiting violence and taking violence out on each other or staff," he said.
Education Minister Stephen Lecce also spoke on The Shift on Tuesday, saying that his office has met over 170 times with education unions and is focused on securing a deal.
He says after private mediation was rejected by teachers’ unions to reach deals, they're available to meet every day to negotiate a deal that keeps students in class and improves the outcomes of students.
Lecce says he believes by staying at the table, they can and will reach a deal that keeps kids learning in classrooms where they belong.
- with files from AM800's The Shift and CTV News