Education unions demand smaller classes, more support ahead of talks

Ontario's five main education unions have presented a united front as they enter contract talks with the province, demanding smaller class sizes, increased support for special education, and wage hikes.

The unions' contracts expire in August, and Education Minister Paul Calandra said he's hopeful deals can be struck by Labour Day. But university labour experts say goodwill may not survive substantive negotiations.

"When the rubber hits the road, and people start disagreeing about key points at the bargaining table, we're going to see some shifts," said Larry Savage, a labour studies professor at Brock University.

The Ford government's relationship with education unions has been contentious. In late 2019, fractious talks saw unions launch work-to-rule campaigns that escalated to months of rotating strikes. In 2022, the government attempted to impose a contract on CUPE-represented education workers using the notwithstanding clause, sparking defiant strikes that closed schools for two days before the government retreated.

Bill 124, which constrained public sector wages including education workers' salaries, was struck down by courts in 2024 and repealed. Labour studies professor Stephanie Ross at McMaster University said the government's claims of "relative peace" with teachers ignore this history.

The coming weeks will test whether the unions can maintain their current solidarity or fracture along traditional lines as specific demands meet ministry resistance.