Ontario education unions promise ‘proportional response,’ schedule 3rd strike vote

CANADA Ontario education unions promise ‘proportional response,’ schedule 3rd strike vote By Isaac Callan & Colin D'Mello Global News Posted September 21, 2026 2:36 pm 2 min read RELATED: Ontario education minister lays out education reform and possible social media ban – Apr 18, 2026 LEAVE A COMMENT SHARE THIS ITEM ON FACEBOOK SHARE THIS ITEM ON X SEND THIS PAGE TO SOMEONE VIA EMAIL SEE MORE SHARING OPTIONS DESCREASE ARTICLE FONT SIZE INCREASE ARTICLE FONT SIZE A third Ontario education union has scheduled a strike vote for its members, as pressure grows on contract talks with the Ford government. On Sunday, the Ontario School Board Council of Unions, a part of the Canadian Union of Public Employees, announced it would hold a strike vote in November. The 57,000-strong union joins the Ontario English Catholic Teachers’ Association and the Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario (ETFO) in scheduling strike votes talks over new contracts stall. David Mastion, the president of ETFO, told reporters Monday that education unions are ready for an escalating fight with the government if necessary. “I think they can expect a proportional response to the challenging times that we’re in right now,” he said Get daily Montreal news Get daily Montreal news delivered to your inbox so you'll never miss the day's top stories. SIGN UP FOR DAILY MONTREAL NEWSLETTER GET STARTED BY PROVIDING YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS, YOU HAVE READ AND AGREE TO GLOBAL NEWS' TERMS AND CONDITIONS AND PRIVACY POLICY. “We will only take action that needs to be taken in order to get this government to move off of their trajectory. The trajectory since 2018 has been to dismantle, to cut, to suffocate everything that’s good about public education.” STORY CONTINUES BELOW ADVERTISEMENT A spokesperson for Education Minister Paul Calandra said ongoing disputes at the Labour Relations Board were delaying contract talks. “The majority of the unions have gone to the Ontario Labour Relations Board (OLRB) to determine which issues should be negotiated at the central or local tables,” they wrote in a statement. MORE ON CANADA MORE VIDEOS Edmontonians gather for clothing repair event: ‘Quiet act of rebellion’ A look back at Kerry-Lynne Findlay’s 4 months as BC Conservative leader As rivals China and U.S. prepare for AI meeting, here are the top concerns Ontario truckers warn rising diesel prices will mean more expensive groceries “We respect their right to do so, but this process has delayed the…