NewsAlert: Ontario, education workers avoid

Oct 6, 2019 | 6:35 PM

TORONTO — Ontario’s provincial government has eked out a deal with the union that represents education workers, avoiding a strike deadline by just hours.

The 55,000 school workers represented by the Canadian Union of Public Employees began a work-to-rule campaign last week that failed to pressure the province into making concessions in a collective agreement.

They then announced that they’d strike if they didn’t reach a deal by 12:01 a.m. on Monday.

Contract talks resumed on Friday afternoon and the two sides announced late Sunday that they had come to an agreement.

A strike would have seen thousands take to the picket lines while hundreds of schools shut their doors.

At least two dozen school boards across the province — including the three largest — said they couldn’t function without the CUPE workers, including custodians, early childhood educators and clerical staff.

More coming.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 6, 2019.

The Canadian Press

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