Ford government to table legislation that would impose contract on education workers, prevent strike [Video]

Ontario’s education minister, Stephen Lecce says the provincial government has “no other choice but to introduce legislation tomorrow, which will ensure that students remain in-class to catch up on their learning.”

This comes after an emergency mediated session was called Sunday afternoon between the provincial government and the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), the union that represents the province’s education workers.

The session included all affected parties including CUPE, government negotiators, the mediator, and school board representatives, all of whom gather at downtown Toronto’s Sheraton Hotel to discuss the imminent job action and how it can be averted.

CUPE announced Sunday morning that education workers across the province would go on strike starting Friday, Nov. 4 if a deal with the provincial government is not reached.

Following the meeting, Lecce said the provincial government presented CUPE with a new offer, but CUPE did not accept it and still intends …