Frontline education workers will enter into mediation with the Ontario government and Council of Trustees’ Associations starting today (Monday).
Members of the Canadian Union of Public Employees and the province remain at an impasse in ongoing contract negotiations.
Union spokesperson Laura Walton says, “We want to reach a negotiated agreement that will guarantee service improvements for students, help solve school boards’ problems hiring and keeping qualified employees, and secure a significant wage increase for the lowest-paid frontline education workers that’s long overdue.”
Walton adds, “My coworkers across Ontario are expecting to see an offer that shows this government understands we’ve taken forced pay cuts for the last decade and now our wages are being eroded even more by high inflation. We welcome the assistance of a mediator to help us get a deal done that meets the needs of students, parents, and frontline workers.’
She notes, “We still have proposals on the table that are reasonable, necessary, and affordable. As premier, Doug Ford has the power and resources to accept our proposals for student success and good jobs any time.”
Respected mediator William Kaplan, who helped the same group of workers and the Ford government reach a settlement in 2019, will assist the parties as they try to reach a new deal.
Three days have been set aside and Walton says they are committed to staying at the table as long as it takes.
CUPE is looking for annual increases for it’s education workers of 11.7%.
Meanwhile the province counter-offered with raises of 2% a year for workers making less than $40,000 and 1.25% for all other workers.
