Members of the Ontario Secondary School Teachers' Federation have voted to approve the proposal to resolve bargaining with the Ontario government that council include binding interest arbitration.
OSSTF President Karen Littlewood states that after a three-week long vote, open to all members in the school board sector, that members have voted to approve a proposal that will put all unresolved items before an independent, third-party arbitrator.
She also states that over 14 months they have tried to engage with the Ontario Premier Doug Ford government in good faith bargaining, but that there hasn't been a partner at the table the cares about safeguarding the public education system.
The bargaining proposal was adopted with 78.4 per cent support.
Bargaining at the two OSSTF central tables, Teacher/Occasional Teacher and Education Workers, will continue until October 27, at which time any matters that have not yet been settled will be put before an arbitrator.
Local bargaining across the province will continue until March 28, 2024, at which time all remaining items that have not been settled may be sent to arbitration.
The approved proposal provides there will be no strikes or lockouts during this round of bargaining between the government and OSSTF.
In a statement provided by Ontario's Minister of Education, Stephen Lecce, he states that he's very pleased that the members of the Ontario Secondary School Teachers' Federation have voted in favour of this deal that keeps kids in class.
He also states that he's calling on all outstanding education unions, including the Elementary Teachers' Federation of Ontario, the Ontario English Catholic Teachers' Association, and the Association of Franco-Ontarian Teachers, to also reach a deal.