Elementary teachers to picket PD day

Algoma's public elementary school teachers will hold an information picket Friday morning at White Pines Collegiate and Vocational Institute.

"We're calling it an information picket," Gayle Manley, president of the Algoma chapter of the Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario (ETFO), told SooToday News about 30 minutes after negotiations ended at 10 p.m. Thursday and a news blackout was lifted.

"We're putting pressure on the board and informing the public," said Manley (shown).

On March 1, the teachers voted 95.1 percent in favour of strike action.

Friday is a professional development day for both the public and Catholic school systems.

The combined conference for elementary teachers starts at 9 a.m. at White Pines, and Manley says the information picket will be brief, from 8:30 to 8:45 a.m.

Manley said further mediation sessions are slated for Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday of next week.

"I think we may achieve a deal next week," Manley said, pointing out that both sides moved during the latest negotiations.