As members of ETFO/OSSTF, we should vehemently oppose the unfair and unjust treatment of education workers represented by the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE). CUPE Education workers are the backbone of quality public education. They support our most vulnerable student bodies, such as English Language Learners, children with special needs (i.e., learning differences, neurodivergent, behaviour issues, etc.), Junior and Senior kindergarten learners, and are indispensable to the overall operation of schools in regards to student welfare and safety (e.g., office administrators, custodial staff, lunchroom supervisors, etc.). Without these workers, our public schools would not be safe spaces where learning can take place. These individuals are stand-in parents during a child's long day at school.

We are extremely disappointed with ETFO/OSSTF’s lack of tangible support for the vital work our CUPE colleagues do within our boards. The Ontario Government is undermining the Collective Bargaining Process and violating the Charter Rights of its employees. We, the undersigned, will not be complicit in this fight against public sector workers. Our colleagues’ voices should be heard, acknowledged, and validated. We should be acting in solidarity with our CUPE colleagues.

By signing this petition, it means that you do not want to cross the picket lines and therefore do not believe that we, teachers, should engage in teaching virtually or in-person until fair negotiations can begin again. We hope that this petition will urge ETFO/OSSTF to provide us with new directives by November 9, 2022.

In solidarity with CUPE, we too, should not back down.

Respectfully yours,

Fellow Ontario Teachers