A line has been drawn in the sand between the union representing Ontario’s 55,000 education workers and the province.
Neither side is budging Wednesday afternoon.
CUPE says a strike will go ahead on Friday if a negotiated deal is not reached.
The union is also warning the strike will continue past Friday until a contract agreement is hammered out.
That means parents should be prepared to have students out of school until that happens.
CUPE clarified Wednesday afternoon that education workers’ protests will not be held at schools on Friday but will be held in front of MPPs constituency offices.
The province has said unless the union removes its threat of a strike, they will not go back to the negotiating table.
CUPE has sent the province a counter-offer and says it remains committed to negotiating with the province.
Details of the counteroffer are confidential at the request of the independent mediator.
The Ford government is trying to push legislation through that would force a contract on the union membership and by using the notwithstanding clause removes the union’s right to strike.
***With files from Wendy Gray
