1-day strike to close all public schools in Waterloo Region, Guelph unless deal reached

The Ontario Secondary School Teachers' Federation is planning a one-day, province-wide strike on Wednesday, Dec.4, which would result in public school closures across Waterloo Region, Guelph and the surrounding area, unless a deal is reached beforehand.

The strike would effect both elementary and secondary schools. 

OSSTF president Harvey Bischof announced Thursday that the strike will go ahead if a new agreement is not reached before Wednesday.

The OSSTF represents secondary school teachers and education workers in public elementary and secondary schools in both the Waterloo Region District School Board (WRDSB) and the Upper Grand District School Board. 

According to a release from the WRDSB, the closures would include all before and after-school childcare programs, extended day childcare programs, EarlyON Centres and third-party operated childcare centres.

The strike will follow six days of information pickets and a limited withdrawal of administrative services that began Tuesday.

Bischof said the strike comes as the provincial government looks to implement mandatory e-learning, larger class sizes and other measures that he said would degrade the quality of education in the province after months of largely fruitless bargaining with union officials.

He said classes will resume on Thursday, Dec. 5.