TORONTO — Today, Stephen Lecce, Minister of Education, issued the following statement on the status of negotiations with OSSTF (Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation) on the eve of strike action:
“My message to parents, on the eve of potential job action, is that our Government has remained reasonable at the negotiating table, with the objective of keeping students in class.
I am reaffirming my commitment to examining innovative solutions to avoid a strike. I am open to a framework that achieves our goal of reaching a deal that keeps students in the classroom.
It has been over 200 days since we first started bargaining with OSSTF and in that time, they have not made any substantive moves since their first proposal was tabled. Even while the Government made enhanced offers, there is no indication OSSTF intends to make any moves, except to affirm their insistence on a $1.5 billion increase in pay and benefits.
The onus is on OSSTF to be reasonable, stay at the table, and to cancel this needless escalation that is hurting children, parents, and families.”
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