UPDATE 2:35 PM
Thunder Bay’s Ontario Secondary School Teachers and support staff are going on strike on Wednesday, December 18th.
Local OSSTF president Rich Seeley tells us they want to clear the air that this strike isn’t only about wage increases.
“The Ministry of Education is trying to paint it as if that’s the most important thing, and it’s not. Wages are part of it, but they’re a small part of it,” Seeley emphasizes. “This is about class sizes, this is about opportunities for students, this is about not forcing students into e-learning, this is about having funds for supports and support staff to be there for our most vulnerable students.”
The union official notes around a quarter of their membership from across Ontario is taking part in the one-day strike on Wednesday.
Lakehead Public Schools confirm they will be closed on Wednesday in the event of a strike. They will also cancel all transportation, before- and after-school programs, field trips, and sports and co-curricular activities.
The Thunder Bay Catholic School Board tells us if a strike occurs “it may be necessary to close our schools to students.” They note it will impact their Elementary, Senior Elementary and High Schools. The board is asking parents and guardians to arrange care for their child, as a contingency plan if this strike takes place. The strike does not affect the city’s two French-language Catholic schools with Le Conseil scolaire de district catholique des Aurores boréales.
