Request from Ontario to let retired teachers work more rejected by federation [Video]

Ontario’s teachers have rebuffed a request from the Ministry of Education to let retired teachers work longer, saying the government needs to come up with a real solution to staff shortages.

The Ontario Teachers’ Federation has “reluctantly” agreed over the last three years to let retired teachers work for 95 days a year instead of 50 to address lingering effects from the COVID-19 pandemic, but is saying no to the request for this year because it was supposed to be a short-term measure.

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“Deflecting responsibility onto retired teachers is neither a sufficient nor a sustainable option to address staffing challenges,” federation secretary-treasurer Ian Pettigrew wrote in a statement.

“Changing the rule for retired members neither encourages working teachers to remain in the system nor does it attract prospective candidates to join the profession.”

The four major teachers’ unions said Tuesday …