Several thousand education support workers continued their strike on Friday and demonstrated in Queen’s Park in Toronto, despite a law passed the day before by the Ford government making it illegal.
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Representing 55,000 education workers, the Canadian Union of Civil Servants (CUPE) confirmed that they are on strike “until further notice” and therefore could continue until next week.
The strikers, however, face a daily fine of up to $ 4,000, and the union could be fined up to $ 500,000 due to anti-strike legislation passed by the provincial government on Thursday.
This law aims to impose a four-year employment contract on education workers and at the same time prohibit them from being fired.
However, these employees would be among the lowest paid in Ontario’s public service with a cap of 1% per annum on wage increases.
Between 8,000 and 10,000 protesters were present at the afternoon demonstration in Toronto, according to police estimates.
Present in the region on the same day, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said he had spoken with unions and was examining “all options”.
“All Canadians who appreciate the freedoms, rights and opportunities that Canada offers them and all of us should stand up to be concerned about this situation,” he said.
Several school boards in the area, including the Toronto District School Board, have said education will go virtual early next week if the strike continues.
Silent on the subject on Friday, Ontario Premier Doug Ford nevertheless stressed on Twitter Wednesday that he had exchanged with Mr. Trudeau on this dossier and that “he had made him understand that the closure of the classrooms would have an unacceptable impact on the students.
