Ontario's elementary teachers are warning of escalating job action if a deal with the Ford Government can't be reached by next month.
The Elementary Teachers Federation of Ontario said Monday they'll go from the various rotating strikes of its boards, to strikes in all boards starting next week, as well as a province-wide strike on February 6th.
Elementary teachers will also not participate in any extra-curricular activities at any time starting February 3rd.
Strikes on February 7th will include both Toronto boards, while Peel's board will happen February 4th.
"It's time that the Ford government recognized that our public education system is key to the future of this province's economy, ETFO President Sam Hammond said.
Asked if the city could provide daycare assistance for affected families, Mayor John Tory said it wasn't possible.
"I'm not going to stand here and make that commitment that we could be ready for every child that was dislocated," he said. "I'm very sorry at the fact that these kinds of labour disruptions, whether it involves teachers or anybody else, sometimes have a difficult effect on parents."
Tory said many of the city's daycare programs are staffed by high school students and it isn't possible for them to recruit and train the number of additional supervisors they would require for a massive influx of children.
"It's not a simple matter for the city, even with a couple of weeks notice to go out and recruit and train, what might be hundreds of additional high school students to perform these tasks," he said.
Elementary teachers will also not participate in any extra-curricular activities at any time starting February 3rd.
In response, Education Minister Stephen Lecce accused ETFO of breaking a promise of taking care of children.
"The consequences of union-led escalation are real, as families are forced to find childcare on short notice," he said. "Repeated escalation at the expense of our students, to advance higher compensation, higher wages, and even more generous benefits, is unacceptable for parents and students in our province.
There are currently no dates scheduled for both sides to meet, nor is there with OSSTF (high school teachers) and OECTA (Catholic teachers.)
The list of scheduled elementary strikes is below:
February 3: One-day strikes in Bluewater, Grand Erie, Halton, Ontario North East, Renfrew County, Superior Greenstone and Trillium Lakelands school boards.
February 4: One-day strikes in Avon Maitland, Durham, Durham Catholic, Hastings-Prince Edward, Lambton Kent, Peel, Rainbow, Thames Valley and Upper Grand school boards and Campbell Children’s School Authority.
February 5: One-day strikes in Kawartha Pine Ridge, Keewatin-Patricia, Lakehead, Near North, Ottawa-Carleton, Penetanguishene Protestant Separate, Rainy River, Simcoe County and Upper Canada school boards and Ottawa Children’s Treatment Centre.
February 6: One-day strike of all 83,000 ETFO members.
February 7: One-day strikes in Algoma, Greater Essex County, Hamilton-Wentworth, Limestone, Niagara, Toronto, Toronto Catholic, Waterloo and York Region school boards as well as Bloorview, John McGivney Children’s Centre, KidsAbility,Moosonee, Moose Factory and Niagara Peninsula Children’s Centre school authorities.