London-area faculty boards say they’ll shut their faculties and change to distant studying ought to a second walkout happen on Monday involving hundreds of Ontario training employees.
The Canadian Union of Public Workers (CUPE) mentioned Wednesday that it had filed a five-day strike discover after talks broke down once more with the province. The union represents greater than 50,000 training employees throughout the province.
The province has directed faculty boards to “implement contingency plans.” Boards impacted by a piece withdrawal ought to “fastidiously assess how finest to make sure scholar security and continuity of studying,” a provincial memo reads.
CUPE officers mentioned Wednesday that whereas either side had agreed to a wage enhance of about 3.59 per cent per yr for all employees, it was nonetheless searching for ensures of upper staffing ranges for academic assistants, librarians, custodians and secretaries.
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Ontario memo directs faculty boards to ‘implement contingency plans’ after CUPE strike discover
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In an announcement Thursday, the Thames Valley District Faculty Board (TVDSB) mentioned that it wouldn’t be capable to hold faculties open safely for in-person studying within the occasion of one other strike and that as a substitute, college students could be supplied real-time, teacher-led synchronous instruction on-line.
There could be no change for college kids collaborating in full distant, and/or digital studying, the board mentioned. College students in some secondary specialised packages would additionally see no change.
“Households are inspired to consult with the course or classroom’s digital studying platform (Google Classroom or Brightspace) or contact their baby’s trainer for details about Monday’s studying,” the board mentioned.
“Households with an pressing want shall be supplied know-how beginning Monday, November 21, 2022. Faculty employees will let households know when units are able to be picked up which can be later within the week relying on faculty neighborhood wants and know-how availability.”
Board officers say earlier than and after faculty packages will even be cancelled, and child-care centres and EarlyON Household Centres at TVDSB faculties shall be closed till additional discover.
Thames Valley board officers say they’re hopeful that negotiations this weekend shall be productive and {that a} deal shall be reached late Sunday night time or early Monday morning.
“Updates shall be supplied as we develop into conscious; a remaining resolution shall be made by 6:00 a.m. Monday, November 21, 2022,” the board’s assertion reads.
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LDCSB faculties to be closed Monday in occasion of second CUPE walkout, board officers say
The London District Catholic Faculty Board (LDCSB) has mentioned it too will shut faculties and cancel in-person lessons within the occasion of a strike.
In an announcement Wednesday, LDCSB mentioned that if a deal was not reached by early Monday, scholar studying could be performed asynchronously from residence. The board’s workplace shall be open, however employees will work remotely if potential.
College students engaged in digital studying will see no adjustments to their regular every day schedule, the board mentioned.
“As a precaution, college students ought to deliver residence private belongings, eyeglasses, medicine, textbooks, musical devices, and so on. on Thursday, November 17. Friday is a PA Day within the LDCSB.”
Distribution and administration of units, and software program and {hardware} assist can’t be administered as a lot of the board’s IT assist employees are CUPE members, the board mentioned.
“Colleges will attempt to coordinate distribution from the stock they’ve. Please observe there are a restricted variety of accessible units,” the board’s assertion reads.
Along with faculties, different board packages will even be closed or cancelled, together with before- and after-school packages, household centres, co-op placements, after-school tutoring, inside language packages, neighborhood use of colleges, and St. Patrick Grownup and Persevering with Training.
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Mother and father may very well be in limbo till Sunday as potential training employees’ strike looms
London French-language college students will even be staying residence within the occasion of a strike.
The French-language Conseil scolaire Viamonde mentioned Thursday that the board would roll out its distant studying plan if the specter of a strike materialized.
The board could be unable to ensure a clear and secure setting for college kids within the absence of CUPE janitorial employees, mentioned Michel Laverdiere, the board’s appearing director of training, in a discover despatched residence to folks.
Like TVDSB and LDCSB, CSC Viamonde says faculty transportation shall be cancelled, before- and after-school care providers shall be unavailable, and extracurricular actions shall be paused. College students collaborating within the VIAvirtuel program will proceed studying as standard, the board mentioned.
French Catholic college students will even see digital studying, in accordance with a discover from Conseil scolaire catholique Windfall on Wednesday.
Except lecturers, the board mentioned all of its unionized worker teams had been CUPE members.
Asynchronous studying shall be supplied beginning on Monday for college kids kindergarten to grade 12, the board mentioned.
Each Conseil scolaire Viamonde and Conseil scolaire catholique Windfall say they’ll present additional updates on their web site and
— with information from The Canadian Press
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