Strike to close elementary schools in Upper Canada, Limestone boards Wednesday

Public elementary schools in Kingston and much of eastern Ontario outside Ottawawill close next Wednesday due to continued strikes by teachers, barring a deal between the province and the teachers' union.

TheElementary Teachers' Federation of Ontario (ETFO)announced Fridayit has served notice to four school boardsincluding the Limestone District School Board (LDSB)and the Upper Canada District School Board (UCDSB) that its members plan to walk off the job on Jan. 29.

The UCDSB, which almost totally surrounds the City of Ottawa in Ontario,has confirmed there will be no classes or transportationfor students in kindergarten to Grade 8 that day if there's no progress at the bargaining table.

That includes Grade 7 and 8 students who attend classes at secondary schools within the board.

Similarly, the Kingston area's LDSB released a statement saying all elementary and intermediate students from kindergarten to Grade 8 should not report to school on Wednesday.

Secondary schools in both school districts will remain open.

The Belleville-area Hastings and Prince Edward District School Board's ETFO members are planning to strike Tuesday, meaning students from kindergarten to Grade 8 won't have classes.

Parents are asked to check with child-care providers about their status.

3 unions had rotating strikes

ETFOrepresents full-time and occasional teachers in those boards and has around76,000 members across the province.

Its members began rolling strikes this week, including a walkoutin Ottawa on Monday.

Education Minister StephenLecce has repeatedly said the key sticking point in negotiations with high school teachers is compensation, with the union demanding a roughly two-per-cent wage increase and the government offering one per cent.

The union says the strikes aren'tabout wages, but are focused on preventing larger class sizes and increasing supports for children with special needs.

"ETFO is very disappointed that [Premier] Ford's Education Minister Lecce has not come back to the bargaining table to negotiate key issues affecting students, student learning and educators,"ETFOpresident Sam Hammond said in a news release.

"It is now 36 days since ETFO's last bargaining session."

• Ontario public elementary school teachers set to begin rotating strikes on Monday
• Parents' patience wearing thin as school closures continue

Four of Ontario's major education unions took part in job action this week, including rotating strikes by three of them.

In a press conference this morning in Mississauga, Ont., Ford criticized the leadership of the teachers' unions and said his governmenthad made a number of concessions during negotiations.

Hesaid his patience is wearing thinbut that he's not yet willing to force teachers back to work through legislation.