Quinte area schools part of one-day strike

January 21, 2020 at 10:14 am

BELLEVILLE – Catholic schools across Ontario including in the Quinte region and public high schools in the Hastings Prince Edward board are closed Tuesday due to a one day teacher’s strike.

Multiple school unions are out on strike to in protest against what they say are plans by the provincial government to cut thousands of high school teaching positions by increasing class sizes across the province.

Scott Marshall, president of OSSTF District 29 which represents high school teachers in the areas public board, said there hasn’t been any meaningful discussions about moving forward.

“We want to be at work, teaching and supporting students, but the government hasn’t shown any interest in any discussions,” he said.

Marshall said they hope the government will come to the table in good faith with the schools and let the bargainers do their work.

Marshall said they are picketing outside of all their seven high schools. That includes PECI, Eastside Secondary School, Centennial Secondary School, Bayside Secondary School and more.

Marshall said he would like to see the Ford government to pull back on their “deep” cuts to staff and mandatory e-learning model.

“It won’t fit every students needs,” Marshall said referring to the e-learning model.

More to come.