ONTARIO SECONDARY SCHOOL TEACHERS' FEDERATION
Government not interested in good faith bargaining

The Ontario Secondary School Teachers' Federation (OSSTF/FEESO) entered into good faith negotiations with the Ford government only to have the process undermined by the introduction of legislation that interferes with collective bargaining.

"We entered into bargaining, in good faith, at the earliest opportunity provided by the government's regulations, and we have been making every effort to move negotiations forward. It's clear now that meaningful, good faith bargaining was never this government's intention," said OSSTF/FEESO President Harvey Bischof.

"As we've seen with so many other scenarios, the Ford government loves to talk about consultation but, in the end, completely ignores the voices of real people" continued Bischof. "This is a government that has broken everything it's touched - education, health care, autism services - and now they've shattered the good faith bargaining process."

"OSSTF/FEESO is committed to stability within the education system achieved through a fair bargaining process. It's clear that this government has learned nothing from the recent history of governments obstructing and undermining the bargaining rights of workers. We will do everything in our power to defend those rights," concluded Bischof.