BARRIE -- Elementary teachers across Simcoe County hit the picket lines Wednesday as part of their rotating strikes that appear to have no end in sight.
The Elementary Teachers' Federation of Ontario escalated its job action Monday and is now targeting each board twice a week, including province-wide strikes set for Thursday and Feb. 11.
ETFO represents 83,000 elementary teachers, occasional teachers, and education and professional support personnel in public schools across Ontario. Province-wide, the union has 76 locals.
“The three ETFO locals representing the teachers, the occasional teachers and the early child educators are on a full withdrawal of services,” Janet Bigham, Simcoe County Elementary Teachers' Federation president said.
Union President Sam Hammond said Tuesday that the union was close to a deal with the government after three days of talks last week, but the province's negotiators suddenly tabled new proposals at the 11th hour that ETFO couldn't accept.
The union has announced its strike plans for next week as well, with a provincewide walk-out on Tuesday.
Some parents are now worried about how many days their kids will miss when you include sick days, snow days, P-A days and now strike days.
“I'm starting to get concerned about that. I have two older ones in grade eight and grade seven. A lot of the stuff they are learning at this point is for preparing them for high school,” one parent said.
-With files from The Canadian Press
