Ontario education minister provides update on teacher contract talks ahead of 2nd potential strike

Ontario Education Minister Stephen Lecce is set to hold a Tuesday afternoon news conference amid tense contract talks with the union representing most of the province’s public high school teachers.

Lecce is set to speak with reporters around 3 p.m. ET, and CBC Toronto will carry his announcement live in the video above.

Members of the Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation (OSSTF) are planning to hold a second one-day school strike Wednesday if no deal is reached between the union and the government on Tuesday.

High schools run by several school boards across the province will be closed on Wednesday if the strike goes ahead, including the Toronto District School Board.

The province is also locked in labour talks with two other major teachers’ unions.

Meanwhile, elementary teachers are ramping up their work-to-rule campaign, saying the teachers they represent will no longer plan any new field trips or distribute letters or memos from schools and boards.

Ontario English Catholic teachers are also moving closer to a potential strike.

CBC