The Ford government is willing to return to the bargaining table on Tuesday amid an unprecedented showdown with an education labour union resulting in historic legislation to impose a contract and override provisions of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.
Government sources told Global News the province is waiting for a potential counter-offer from the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), representing thousands of education support workers, which would draw the government back to mediated talks.
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The third-party mediator originally asked the parties to hold three days of consecutive talks before the original Nov. 3 strike deadline, before a dramatic weekend escalation upended the entire process.
On Monday, Education Minister Stephen Lecce tabled legislation that would impose a four-year contract on CUPE members, remove their right to strike during the term, and limit the union’s ability to take the government to court.
CUPE responded by announcing a province-wide strike on Friday, Nov. 4.
On Tuesday, Premier Doug Ford said his priority is to keep students in class and called his offer to CUPE “generous.”
“We’ve been at the table and put forward a very fair offer and the union continues to charge ahead with strike action, ” Ford said, highlighting the impact on two million Ontario students and their families.
Even if the parties return to the bargaining table on Tuesday, however, the government says it won’t pause the legislation which is being pushed through Queen’s Park.
“We are willing to hear what they have to say but we are continuing to move forward in the legislature,” a government source told Global News.
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