TVDSB schools will close Friday if education workers walk off the job
CBC
The Thames Valley District School Board (TVDSB) will close all schools on Friday if Ontario education workers walk off the job.
In a letter to parents and caregivers, the board said the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) has given notice of a full withdrawal of services, which means about 3,500 employees will not be at work. Those positions include educational assistants (EAs), early childhood educators (ECEs), office staff, tech support, custodians and maintenance staff.
"Schools will not be open to students and transportation will not be running. In-person learning cannot operate safely, and devices cannot be deployed at this time without CUPE staff," stated the letter from TVDSB.
The TVDSB is one of the largest public school boards in Ontario, overseeing about 160 elementary and high schools in southwestern Ontario, including in London and Elgin, Middlesex and Oxford counties.
Ongoing contract negotiations between CUPE and the Ontario government have stalled, with union members in a strike position as of Friday.
On Monday, the province introduced the Keeping Students in Class Act, which intends to use the notwithstanding clause to impose a contract on education workers and avert a strike.
CUPE has said it will explore every avenue to fight the bill, but the government said it intends to keep the eventual law in force despite any constitutional challenges. Education workers could face fines of up to $4,000 per day should they strike, the legislation states.
Should the school close on Friday, TVDSB said, teachers will provide learning resources for students through Google Classroom or Brightspace platforms for those who have access to online devices. Students enrolled in full remote or virtual learning will continue their studies without interruption.
The London District Catholic School Board said strike action would see about 1,300 staff off the job. While a decision on whether schools would close has not been announced, the board said parents and guardians might wish to consider planning for child-care arrangements.
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