Ontario's Minister of Education has announced its latest move in labour disruptions with four major teachers' unions.
Stephen Lecce appeared before media at Queen's Park saying the government is backing down on class sizes and mandatory e-learning, in an attempt to reach a deal with education unions.
In the sudden announcement heard live on 610 CKTB, Lecce says the government will increase class sizes in Ontario high schools from the current provincial average of 22.9 up to an average of 23 students per classroom.
The government also announced that its mandatory e-learning policy is also being changed with an opt-out option.
In exchange, however, the government is calling on the unions to cancel a planned strike on Thursday and make room for “good faith bargaining.”
The government said, however, it is sticking with its compensation requests – one per cent per year for a three year contract – because it was enshrined in legislation that the Ford government passed before negotiations began.
Liz Stuart, president of the Ontario English Catholic Teachers Association, said their union is “prepared to accept the salary they have offered” in exchange for lower class sizes, elimination of mandatory e-learning.
Stuart cautioned however that she wants the government to return to the save staffing levels as 2019-2019 – a provincial average of 22:1 -- which would allow school boards to hire hundreds more teachers across the province.