With public high school teachers staging a one-day strike next week, the local school board says elementary and high schools will be closed that day.
The Ontario Secondary School Teachers' Federation is holding a "province-wide full withdrawal of services" Wednesday, Dec. 4, if a new deal isn't reached by then.
At District School Board Ontario North East (DSB1), the union represents high school teachers, child and youth workers, early childhood educators, educational assistants and Indigenous student advisors.
"This withdrawal of services causes significant impact to our schools, including our capacity for effective supervision at the elementary panel. As a result, DSB1 elementary and secondary schools will be closed to students on Wednesday, Dec. 4," reads a DSB1 labour update.
Schools will re-open Dec. 5.
"Community Use of Schools and child care centres will remain open during this labour action," reads the notice.
"The Ontario Public School Boards’ Association (OPSBA), who represents public school boards at the central bargaining table with OSSTF, will continue to work towards resolving this situation."
OSSTF started a work-to-rule campaign Tuesday, Nov. 26.
For that, members aren't doing standardized testing or prep, submitting or completing Ministry of Education Data Reports, participating in school board professional activities, taking part in unpaid staff meetings outside the regular school day, commenting on report cards, or performing work of another bargaining unit.
The Elementary Teachers Federation of Ontario (ETFO) also started its work-to-rule campaign Nov. 26. Its members are withdrawing from Ministry of Education and school board activities.
According to the Canadian Press, the Ontario English Catholic Teachers' Association (OECTA) has talks involving a conciliator scheduled Friday, while the French teachers are holding strike votes in December.
