Waterloo region high school teachers hit picket lines for third job action

Public high school teachers and other educational employees in Waterloo region hit the picket lines Wednesday for their second strike this month.

The strike has impactedboth elementary and secondary schools in theWaterloo Region District School Board as well asthe two French language boards with schools in the region Conseil Scolaire Viamonde and Conseil Scolaire Catholique MonAvenir.

The Waterloo Catholic District School Board, Upper Grand District School Board and Wellington Catholic District School Board were not impacted by Wednesday's strike action.

Educators and staff represented by the Ontario Secondary School Teachers' Federation across the province held a third one-day strike in response to contract talks with the government. The strikeaffects 10 boards across the province.

Lynsey Slupeiks, communications officer with the Waterloo Region District School Board, said support staff at elementary schools such as secretaries, custodial and maintenance staff are members of OSSTF.

"In other boards it's only impacting secondary schools, but for uswith our education workers in all of our schools, it impact all 121 of our schools," she said.

Day camps were held across the region as a result of the strike to give parents and caregivers alternative forms of child care.

Union, government too far apart: Mediator

The union says it is pressing the government to reverse increases to class size and mandatory e-learning requirements.

OSSTFpresident Harvey Bischof was also out on the picket lines Wednesday and saidparents have also voiced their concerns during consultations with the government.

"I hope they start to listen to the parents who told him in their own consultations that they don't want larger class sizes. They don't like mandatory e-learning. They want their children to have access to the support staff that give those kids an equitable shot at success in our school system," he said.

The government says the main issue is compensation, as the province attempts to cap public sector salary increases at one per cent. The union is asking for increases of approximately two per cent.

A government-appointed mediator has called off talks between the parties until the new year, saying their proposals remain too far apart.