Ontario’s 4 teacher unions filing complaints with labour board over back-to-school plans

With back-to-school rapidly approaching, the province’s four teacher unions are filing challenges with the Ontario Labour Relations board over the province’s plans.

The unions argue the Ford government is not taking every reasonable precaution to protect workers.

These workers claim the school reopening plan violates its own workplace safety laws.

They say they raised concerns about physical distancing, cohorting, ventilation and transportation in a meeting with the government on August 24th.

Ontario Secondary School Teachers Federation (OSSTF) President Harvey Bischof tells 680News: “It’s appalling. It’s time for the Premier to step up and properly resource this plan so that we have some reasonable measure of health and safety in our schools.”

It’s alleged the province has failed to comply with their requests. The unions also say the ministry should follow ventilation requirements already deemed safe for the province’s courthouses.

Premier Doug Ford fired back against these claims.

“I’m just asking, just once, for your cooperation. I’ve met so many teachers on the road, and almost every single teacher comes up to and the first comments out of their mouths: ‘I apologize for the way the union is asking.”

Most schools in Ontario are set to open in the next few weeks.

Education Minister Stephen Lecce continued to support and defend the back-to-school plan.

“I know many provinces around the country, some of them have staggered or delayed their starts (to the school year),” Lecce said.

“We’re able to, next week, start to reopen schools safely with a plan that has been fully supported and endorsed by the Chief Officer Medical of Health.”

The appeals are not expected to impact the return to classes.