Catholic Teachers strike in Oakville on January 21st

The government is facing a massive rejection of its education policy by public and Catholic school teachers. On Tuesday January 21st, there will be a province wide Catholic teachers strike. It will close both elementary as well as secondary Catholic Schools in Halton/Oakville. This is a one day strike, and teachers indicated they will be back in the classroom on January 22nd.

Do you support the Ontario Ministry of Education's handling of labour negotiations with the three teachers' unions?
Currently, Catholic Teachers are on strike today, Elementary Teachers in Halton walkout on Thursday, Jan. 23, & the Secondary Teachers are on rotating walkouts.

— Oakville News (@NewsInOakville) January 21, 2020

Oakville Halton Catholic District Schools

1. Holy Trinity Catholic Secondary School
2. Holy Family Catholic Elementary School
3. Our Lady of Peace Catholic Elementary School
4. St. Andrew Catholic Elementary School
5. St. Marguerite d’Youville Catholic Elementary School
6. St. Michael Catholic Elementary School​​
7. St. Ignatius of Loyola Catholic Secondary School
8. St. Bernadette Catholic Elementary School
9. St. Gregory the Great Catholic Elementary School
10. St. Joan of Arc Catholic Elementary School
11. St. John Paul II Catholic Elementary School
12. St. Mary Catholic Elementary School
13. St. Matthew Catholic Elementary School
14. St. Teresa of Calcutta Catholic Elementary School
15. St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Secondary School
16. St. Dominic Catholic Elementary School
17. St. Luke Catholic Elementary School
18. St. Vincent Catholic Elementary School​
19. St. Nicholas Catholic Elementary School 

Also the Thomas Merton Centre on Speers Road will be closed.

What will be open during the Catholic teachers strike

1. Childcare centres in the Catholic Schools will remain open, since they are run independently.
2. Community use of schools continues
3. All non-OECTA staff will work in the schools and administration offices

The Ontario English Catholic Teachers Association (OECTA) announced their decision to a province wide walkout on January 13th, after the Ministry of Labour’s appointed mediator stopped the negotiations. The mediator decided that OECTA  and the government positions were too far apart.

The province is also dealing with strikes by the Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation and the Elementary Teacher’s Federation of Ontario (ETFO). ETFO will walkout for one day on January 23, 2020.

Government’s response to Catholic Teachers Strike

On January 15, 2020, the Ministry of Education offered parents up to $60.00 per strike day to cover childcare expenses. More details about this financial support can be found by visiting Ontario.ca/SupportForParents or by calling the Support for Parents Helpline at 888-444-3770.

Eligibility Criteria for Childcare Payment

Eligible parents of children up to age 12 (Grade 7), or up to age 21 for children and youth with special needs, in a publicly funded school, qualify for:

• $60 per day for children aged 0-6 who are not yet enrolled in school but attend a school-based child care centre that is required to close on account of the strike.
• $40 per day for students in Junior Kindergarten (JK) and Senior Kindergarten (SK).
• $25 per day for students in Grades 1 up to and including Grade 7.
• $40 total per day for students in JK up to and including Grade 12 with a special need(s).

More information about the Labour Negotiations can be found on the Halton Catholic District School Board’s website.

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