Adam Prudhomme
Editor
In a move not seen since 1997, all four of Ontario’s teacher unions-AEFO, ETFO, OECTA and OSSTF-held a coordinated one day full0withdrawal of services on Friday.
Locally, hundreds of educational workers marched along Centre Street in Napanee, from the Napanee Mall to Advance Avenue. In Toronto, some 30,000 educational workers marched on Queen’s Park. An estimated 2 million students saw their classes cancelled today.
Class size, online courses and a cost of living increase remain the major issues at stake. The Ontario government is pushing for class sizes to increase from 22 to 25, for two mandatory e-learning classes at the high school level and for a one per cent salary increase. The unions are countering with no class size increase or e-learning, and a two per cent increase. The unions cite safety for students and teachers as one of their biggest concerns among growing class sizes.