Striking Sudbury teachers rally at Rainbow board office

Up North7:07Sudbury teachers march over labour issues

Hundreds of teachers in Sudbury from marching to raise awareness about the lack of a deal between the union and the Rainbow District school board.

About 500 striking Sudbury high school teachers left their picket lines Mondayto rally in front of the Rainbow District School Board office.

Members of the Ontario Secondary School Teachers' Federationmarched from the Steelworkers Hall on Brady Streetto the Rainbow District School Board building on Young Street for the rally.

"This is a result of months and months of frustration at the bargaining table," said JamesClyke, District 3 president for theOSSTF. "This rally is to bring attention to the inertia in the bargaining process."

High school teachers with Sudbury's Rainbow District School Boardtook to the picket lines on April 27after local talks with the board failed.

The Rainbow board said days have been scheduled in mid-May for more talks and it is waiting on the union to confirm it will return to the local bargaining table. The union has said it's willing to return to talks as soon as the board showsmovement on key issues.

Working conditions andprofessional judgement in the classroom are some of the sticking points, Clyke said.

Provincial talks break down

Contract negotiations with teachers are also happening at the provincial level for larger issues such as compensation and class size. The union that represents teachers said Monday thattalks have alsobroken down at that level.

"The provincial level equally frustrating. Talks just broke down last night about midnight and until there's a reason to reconvene we are in a bit of a hiatus,"said Shelley Page,one of the provincial negotiators for OSSTF whotravelled to Sudbury for Monday's rally.

Two other locals of theOntario Secondary School Teachers' Federation are also on strike over issues at their local bargaining tables. Teachers in Durham have been walking picket lines since April 20, and teachers in Peel went on strike May 4.