Teacher talks resume as Labour Board prepares to rule

Central talks between the Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation and the province resume today with a new mediator.

The province-wide central talks come as public high school teachers in Peel, Durham and the Sudbury area remain on strike, keeping 70-thousand students out of the classroom.

The affected school boards have asked the Ontario Labour Relations board to declare the strikes illegal.  Final arguments are expected this morning with the possibility of a decision as soon as this afternoon.

The Minister of Education has also asked the Education Relations Commission to consider whether the students’ school years are in jeopardy.

Meanwhile, high school teachers in Halton and Ottawa-Carleton will begin work-to-rule action tomorrow, refusing administrative tasks like writing report card comments.

The central talks mark the first round of negotiations under a new bargaining system the Liberal government introduced last year, separating the process into local and province-wide talks.