Parents face labour uncertainty at elementary schools

The director of education with Ottawa's public school board said the labour situation with elementary school teachers is changing by the hour but said they would try to keep parents informed.

The Ottawa-Carleton Elementary Teachers' Federation will be in a legal strike position as of Dec. 1.

The union had said early Wednesday morning they were planning job action as of Monday that would include not attending scheduled meetings or participating in school field trips. But later Wednesday afternoon, the local union's parent organization, Elementary Teachers' Federation of Ontario, said they were planning strikes across the province, but said they would give parents 72-hours notice before taking job action.

Ottawa-Carleton District School Board director of education Jennifer Adams said the board will be updating its website daily or more frequently as the situation changes to keep parents up to date.

'We're seeing the situation change on a regular basis," said Adams.

"We understand this is a trying time for parents and we want to reassure them we will be providing information as soon as we have it," she said.

In addition to updates on the board's website, Adams said the board will be sending out a letter to parents of elementary school students.

She said contingency plans would be in place to provide care for local school kids in the event rotating strikes affect this district.

More talks with the local union are scheduled for next week.