Thousands of public elementary teachers are taking part in day-long strikes in the Greater Toronto Area today in opposition of controversial legislation that gives the government the right to claw back benefits, freeze pay and quash future job actions.
Tuesday's strikes, dubbed by some as "Super Tuesday," will be the teachers' single biggest day of action in a series of one-day rotating strikes that began last week.
The Elementary Teachers' Federation of Ontario has given three days' notice for each of the single-day strikes.
But Tuesday is the biggest day of strikes so far, involving public elementary schools in Toronto, Durham Region, Peel Region, Greater Essex County, Lambton-Kent, Grand Erie, Near North and Waterloo Region.
More than 35,000 teachers will be involved in Tuesday's walkouts, or nearly half of the more than 76,000 teachers and education professionals that ETFO represents.
In Toronto, there will be pickets at most schools, the headquarters of the Toronto District School Board, the Ministry of Education and at the offices of four Liberal leadership candidates.
As a result of the walkouts, the Toronto District School Board closed all of its elementary and junior high schools to students. Buses did not run either. Day care centres in elementary schools stayed open.
About 3,000 teachers walked out in Windsor-Essex, leaving 24,000 students affected, with the city opening day camps and other activities for students.
Parents in a pinch
The TDSB had sent a letter to parents earlier this month advising them of the possibility of a strike in Toronto, which ETFO gave formal notice of on Saturday.
"This is the largest of the one-day strikes we've seen yet," CBC's Trevor Dunn reported on Tuesday morning from the TDSB head offices.
Dunn spoke to Gail Mecurio, who was on the picket line holding a sign asking passing drivers to "honk for democracy."
She said the issues that spawned the strike have an effect that goes beyond teachers.
"This is hitting all Canadians," she said. "We're out here doing this for every Canadian. This is against our Charter of Rights. So this is a small stand that we're doing. One day, but it's important to us."
The strike has left some working parents in a pinch for child care. To meet the need, city child-care programs will operate at arenas and pools, while the Second City comedy theatre is holding a youth improv camp.
"Parents do have options, but this will not be an easy day for them," said Dunn.
West of the city, in Peel Region, teachers will picket 45 schools, the Peel Board office and the office of two Liberal leadership candidates.
In Durham Region, there will be no pickets at schools. Instead, teachers will hold a rally at Oshawa's Memorial Park.
Looming deadline
The ongoing walkouts by public elementary teachers across the province come in advance of a Dec. 31 deadline the governing Liberals have set for union locals to reach deals with their school boards.
Should the deadline pass without agreements in place, the government will impose a deal that will freeze the wages of many instructors and cut back benefits.
Premier Dalton McGuinty has said the government will permit the current strikes to go ahead, as long as they do not persist beyond a single day in each case.
Speaking Tuesday on CBC Toronto's Metro Morning radio show, EFTO president Sam Hammond hinted that the union will stage more one-day walkouts after the Dec. 31 deadline.
"We're keeping all of our options on the table," he told host Matt Galloway. "If this government imposes a collective agreement ... we will implement a one-day political protest. We will cross that bridge when we get to it, we are keeping all of our options on the table as we move forward."
Education Minister Laurel Broten said a walkout past the Dec. 31 deadline would be illegal.
"It's incredibly disappointing to hear Sam talk about what would be an illegal wildcat strike," she said. "We will use every tool available to us."
A new round of day-long strikes will affect scores of public elementary schools in the Halton, Bluewater and Algoma boards on Wednesday. The next day, more walkouts will occur in the Limestone, Superior-Greenstone, Thames Valley and Upper Canada board elementary schools.
CBC News will be covering the job actions throughout the day online, on radio and on CBC Toronto television starting at 5 p.m.
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