English Catholic teachers plan staggered strikes next week

TheOntario English Catholic Teachers' Association (OECTA)is looking past Friday's provincewide strike by education workersto more rotating strikes next week.

Unlessan agreement with the province is reached in time, these local school boards will be affected:

• Tuesday, Feb. 25: Ottawa Catholic School Board.
• Thursday, Feb. 27:Algonquin & Lakeshore Catholic District School Board and RenfrewCounty Catholic District School Board.
• Friday, Feb. 28: Catholic District School Board of Eastern Ontario.

The union is meeting with the province this Wednesday to resume mediated talks.

"[The government keeps] talking about being reasonable, but there is nothing reasonable about cutting supports for vulnerable students, nothing reasonable about increasing class sizes and reducing course options, and nothing reasonable about imposing mandatory e-learning," said OECTA president Liz Stuart in a news release.

"Catholic teachers have done our part to move these negotiations forward, but we cannot accept the government's agenda to take resources out of the classroom."

"My objective has always been to reach deals with our education labour partners deals that are fair to students, hard-working parents, and our valued teachers and education workers," said Education Minister Stephen Lecce in a statement.

"The government has demonstrated our commitment to reaching a deal by affirming our commitment to maintaining all-day kindergarten, investing in special education needs, and keeping classroom sizes low."

Other education unions are working to rule, but have not yet said whether they plan to strike next week.