The work stoppage by education support workers turned out to be a short one.
After a weekend that saw the release of poll results that showed the majority of Ontarians siding with the members of the Canadian Union of Public Employees, Premier Ford announced Monday morning that his government was willing to repeal the bill it passed to impose a contract on unionized education support workers. A few hours later, CUPE leaders announced that the picket lines would be coming down and the workers returning to schools on Tuesday.
Laura Walton, president of CUPE’s Ontario School Board Council of Unions, told reporters she hopes the act of “good faith” on the part of the union is matched by the government when the two sides resume bargaining.
At his news conference, Ford was asked if he wished he would have done anything differently last week and falsely accused CUPE of walking away from bargaining talks.
“Absolutely not. They’re the ones who called the strike. They’re the ones who walked away from the negotiating table,” claimed Ford. “We’re very flexible. It’s amazing that we can get deals with 98 per cent of other unions but we can’t with CUPE.” Despite Ford’s claims, it was the mediator that ended talks just before the strike.
Education Minister Stephen Lecce released a statement after CUPE announced the dismantling of picket lines.
“CUPE has agreed to withdraw their strike action and come back to the negotiating table,” he said. “In return, at the earliest opportunity, we will revoke Bill 28 in its entirety and be at the table so that kids can return to the classroom after two difficult years. As we have always said and called for, kids need to be back in the classroom, where they belong.”
More to come.
**with files from Kate Stockmann
