Classes to resume Tuesday

As the Government of Ontario and striking support workers agreed to head back to the bargaining table, school boards across Ontario will begin welcoming students back to class Tuesday morning.

CUPE (the Canadian Union of Public Employees) said today it will “collapse” protest sites set up last Friday to protest the government’s passing of legislation that imposed a contract on the support workers in Ontario schools and led to the walkout. School boards across the province shut down, saying they couldn’t provide a safe learning space for students.

CUPE said its members will be back at work Tuesday, though it will be up to individual school boards to decide when schools will reopen.

Premier Doug Ford said he will repeal Bill 28, which had put an end to negotiations and forced a settlement on the union. Education Minister Stephen Lecce confirmed the government would repeal the bill in its entirety, including the notwithstanding clause used to circumvent any challenge to the legislation.

The Ontario Catholic School Trustees’ Association is pleased with the turn of events.

“We are extremely pleased that students and staff impacted by the recent disruption will be returning to in-school learning and that collective bargaining between the Council of Trustees’ Association, CUPE and the Crown will resume,” said OCSTA president Pat Daly.

“We remain committed to reaching an agreement that is fair to students, staff and the Catholic school boards we represent.”