Ontario Premier Doug Ford says his government is ready to stop fighting with education workers and return to the bargaining table with an “improved offer,” a day after vowing to rescind legislation that deprived them of the right to strike.
At a news conference Tuesday morning, Ford said he could not go into detail about what the new offer entailed, but said it had “been improved … especially for lower-income workers.”
The prime minister also told reporters he was “past the fighting stage” with the union, saying the government is ready to “negotiate all day (and) all night”.
“I don’t want to fight. I just want the kids in school. That’s what I want to do,” he said.
The comments come as schools reopened after a two-day walkout by the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), which has about 55,000 members.
The protest came after negotiations with the province broke down and the government enacted Bill 28, which uses the notwithstanding clause to override the Charter of Rights and Freedoms to force a contract on employees.
The legislation also made striking illegal and imposed heavy fines on people who took part in any industrial action.
Ford pledged on Monday to rescind the bill if CUPE workers stop striking and return to the table.
The union accepted the offer and bargaining is expected to resume Tuesday morning.
Bill 28 is expected to be struck down on November 14 when MPs return to the legislature after a one-week break.
The two sides have yet to agree on the contentious issue of wages.
CUPE has been asking for an annual pay rise of 11.7 per cent a year, but last week said its latest offer was about half of what was originally proposed.
Meanwhile, the government tabled an annual wage increase of 2.5 percent for those earning less than $43,000 and 1.5 percent for all other employees.
This wage increase was blocked by law 28 last week.
Speaking to CP24 Tuesday morning, CUPE’s Ontario School Board Union Council Lathe president said they will enter negotiations with an “open mind and a clear head.”
“My hope is that the government and employers will do exactly the same,” Laura Walton said.
CUPE members have been without a collective agreement since August 31.
The union is still in a legal position to strike, but will have to give five days’ notice of any other industrial action.
This is a developing story. More to come.