Government's legislation is politically motivated, doesn't put students first

TORONTO, Aug. 20, 2012 /CNW/ - The Ontario government ramped up its strategy to create an artificial crisis in education today when it announced plans to recall Queen's Park and introduce legislation that unfairly targets teachers and other education workers. 

Government House Leader John Milloy announced this morning that the Legislature will resume on Monday, August 27^th so that the Liberals can introduce the Putting Students First Act, 2012.  If passed, this legislation will impose cuts on the wages and benefits of teachers and other education sector workers.  The proposed legislation also significantly restricts collective bargaining rights in the education sector. 

"The government's legislation is unprecedented and goes far beyond any wage restraint or back-to-work legislation ever enacted in Ontario," said ETFO President Sam Hammond.  "This legislation is obviously designed to put politics, not students, first.  The government is putting its own short-term political gain ahead of students.  This creates chaos and instability in the education system.  It doesn't benefit students and their parents." 

"The government continues to deceive the public by saying it needs to pass this unnecessary legislation in order to preserve the school year," continued President Hammond.  "ETFO has said, over and over again, and school boards have confirmed, that the school year will begin as it always has.  We call on the government to live up to its own words and actually put students first." 

The Elementary Teachers' Federation of Ontario represents 76,000 elementary public school teachers and education professionals across the province and is the largest teacher federation in Canada.

SOURCE: Elementary Teachers' Federation of Ontario

Lisa Mastrobuono
Collective Bargaining Communications
[phone] Ext. 2512 (office)
[phone] (cell)

Sam Hammond
President
[phone] Ext. 2348 (office)
[phone] (cell)