Ford willing to repeal education-worker law if CUPE agrees to end walkout

TORONTO — Ontario Premier Doug Ford says he is willing to repeal legislation that imposed a contract on 55,000 education workers and banned them from striking, if the workers’ union agrees to end a walkout that’s shut many schools.

TORONTO — Ontario Premier Doug Ford says he is willing to repeal legislation that imposed a contract on 55,000 education workers and banned them from striking, if the workers’ union agrees to end a walkout that’s shut many schools. 

The legislation also uses the notwithstanding clause to guard against constitutional challenges, and Ford says today he understands that is controversial.

Ford says he is willing to be flexible and go back to the bargaining table, but education workers have to get back into the classroom.

The Canadian Union of Public Employees, which represents the education workers, is set to hold a news conference later this morning.

The latest developments come as CUPE, the provincial government, parents and students are awaiting a decision by the Ontario Labour Relations Board on the legality of the walkout that began Friday.

Hundreds of thousands of students are out of the classroom today as many schools are closed to in-person learning as a result of the walkout, which CUPE has said will continue regardless of the labour board’s decision. 

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 7, 2022.

The Canadian Press