Ontario Education Minister Stephen Lecce’s office published his speaking notes Thursday afternoon regarding planned strike action among 55,000 early childhood educators, school custodians, EAs and administration workers represented by the Canadian Union of Public Employees.
Lecce’s remarks are posted below:
Minister Stephen Lecce
Queen’s Park Media Studio
November 3, 2022
All along, we made a promise: to do whatever it takes to keep kids in class. We will keep that promise.
Let’s remember why we’re here.
After demanding a nearly 50 per cent increase in compensation, CUPE threatened to strike.
Since then, we’ve been at the table. Right up to the last minute, we’ve made good faith efforts to reach a fair deal.
But all along, CUPE refused to take strikes and disruption off the table.
Even today, CUPE refused to take strikes and disruption off the table.
For the sake of Ontario’s two million students…to keep classrooms open, they’ve left us with no choice but to pass the Keeping Students in Class Act.
It’s disappointing that we got here. All along we had hoped to reach an agreement that’s right for students, right for parents, right for workers and right for taxpayers.
But CUPE wouldn’t budge. They refused to take a strike off the table.
I want to make something very clear.
If CUPE continues with their strike, they will be breaking the law.