Public school board issues statement on next week’s rotating strikes

In an email received from the Algoma District School Board (ADSB) Friday afternoon, officials state “beginning Monday, Jan. 20, rotating strikes will be occurring at both the secondary and elementary levels across the province.”

The Ontario Secondary School Teachers Federation (OSSTF) has been holding weekly one-day strikes since December.

While Elementary Teachers Federation of Ontario (ETFO) members will hold one-day strikes Jan. 20 through Jan. 22 at various boards across Ontario, no Sault and area schools are scheduled to be affected at this point.

Nevertheless, the ADSB is encouraging parents to keep checking media announcements, listen for voice messages and watch the board’s website for possible school closures.

The ADSB states information about the Ministry of Education’s financial support for childcare, as well as information regarding the cancellation of elementary school field trips due to the current labour dispute between teachers unions and the province, is also available on its website

Meanwhile, the Ontario English Catholic Teachers Association (OECTA) will hit the picket lines for a one-day strike across the province Tuesday, Jan. 21, closing Huron-Superior Catholic District School Board (H-SCDSB) schools, with classes to resume Wednesday.

Teachers and other education workers represented by OSSTF, OECTA and ETFO have been working without a contract since Aug. 31.

For the unions, the main issues are the provincial government’s plans for larger class sizes (at the high school level especially) and mandatory e-learning for high school students, as well as pay.

Teachers and other educational workers want a two per cent per year salary increase, while the province wants the union to accept one per cent per year.