The fundamental issue in the contract negotiations between the Ontario government and its education unions is this: should government have the power to moderately restrain the cost of education?
The Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation says no. This week, the union took the unusual step of releasing its full contract demands publicly before talks have formally begun. The union leaders must think the highly detailed documents they have put out will make people believe their demands are pretty darned reasonable.
Perhaps, but the teachers’ opening bargaining position might be summarized as, “OK government, you take back all the stuff you want, plus give us a raise, and in exchange we give you nothing.”
The government seemed to be taken aback by the OSSTF going public, but to be fair, it has done the same thing. Its proposals include a substantial increase in secondary school class sizes, a new requirement for students to take four credits online and a one per cent limit on wage increases in the broader public sector.
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