High school teachers voting on provincewide walkout

Ontario secondary school teachers and support staff arein the midst of votingon whether they support the idea of a one-day, provincewidewalkout sometime after the holiday break.

"We're looking for our members to demonstrate their discontent with Bill 115," said Harvey Bischof, vice-president of the Ontario Secondary School Teachers' Federation, on Tuesday morning.

"Our members have been, if anything, looking to do more in terms of registering their opposition to Bill 115 and the restrictions that it puts on collective bargaining," he said.

A date hasn't yet been set, though Bischof said there's "no chance" it'll happen before the holiday break.

"We'll set a date that strategically has the most impact on the government," he said.

A tentative agreement was reached between the OSSTF and the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board in late November.

That agreement wasswept off the table by the unionafter it claimed some language was changed after it went on to be signed by Education Minister Laurel Broten.

Unions and school boards have until Dec. 31 to reach agreements, at which time Bill 115 gives Broten the ability to impose a new contract andban strikes and lockouts.

Poll question