We Stand in Solidarity with Ontario’s Teachers

August 31, 2020

TORONTO, ON — Deputy Leader of the Green Party of Ontario, Abhjieet Manay, released the following statement after the announcement of the OLRB application filed by Ontario’s four major teachers unions:

“The Green Party of Ontario stands in solidarity with the teachers and education workers taking legal action against the Ford government today.

Despite the Ford government’s persistent attempts to divide education and support staff and put the blame for the division at the feet of the unions, Ontario’s education workers have banded together to stand up to the Premier’s flawed and reckless plan.

Ontario’s four major education unions say they have been left with no choice but to file formal appeals with the Ontario Labour Relations Board.

This all could have been avoided had the government taken the advice of health and education experts and made a plan months ago that provided funding and support for reduced class sizes and proper ventilation in time for September.

The Premier stated today that he has accepted that our children returning to schools will be diagnosed with Covid-19 and that the government is doing everything that has been asked of them. But he is wrong. He’s been asked to mandate smaller class sizes and they refuse.

First it was the anti-union rhetoric that union bosses weren’t speaking on behalf of their members. Then last week it was goading teachers by calling on them to “step up.”

Now, the Premier has taken an even greater leap to vilify the teachers’ unions for refusing to encourage their members to run into a burning building without complaint.

With just one week to go, it’s clear we’ve needed less finger waving and more action from the Premier and Minister of Education on this important file.”

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