Excerpt from the OH&S Canada magazine
An escalating conflict between Premier Doug Ford’s government in four major teachers’ union is headed to the provinces Labour Board as the unions allege Ontario School reopening plan violates its own workplace safety laws.
The unions – which represent hundred 90,000 teachers and education workers – indicated August 31, 2020, that they are all plan to file complaints after meetings with Ontario government failed to address their concerns the week prior.
The Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario, the Ontario English Catholic Teachers’ Association and the Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation all allege the School reopening plan does not take “every reasonable precaution” to protect workers from Covid 19.
“No worker in the province of Ontario should be expected to sacrifice their health and safety, especially when there are such obvious measures to government could be taking to reduce the risk and prevent potential tragedies,” OSSTF President Harvey Bischof said in a statement.
With weeks to go before classes start, the Ford government faced increasing pressure over its Covid 19 pandemic back-to-school plan.
The province’s strategy will see students in kindergarten through grade 8 return to school without any reduction in class sizes, though students will spend the day in a single cohort to limit contact with other children.
Most high schoolers will also be in class full time, those students at some boards across the province will take half their courses online in a bid to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus.
Teachers’ unions, school boards, and some parents say the province must lower elementary school class sizes and fund the reduction, instead of insisting boards dip into their own reserve funds to lease extra space or hire additional staff to promote physical distancing.
My opinion
The city of Peterborough has just been given a Red Zone rating because of a large student party held here over the past couple of weeks. The students were busting at the seams to experience the college party life and felt that the danger was over.
Thanks to them, many businesses have been drastically reduced and may very well go out of business. The bleeding-heart liberals want to go gently on the students but what lesson will they learn? One or two more parties and Peterborough will be in a total lockdown situation.
Thanks, students! I hope the ring leaders get expelled!
HRS Group Inc. has a great team that can help you with all your health and safety needs. Contact Deborah toll free at 1-877-907-7744 or locally at 705-749-1259 We can also be reached at
Ensure your workplace is a safe place.
Remember – In Ontario, “ALL Accidents are Preventable”
‘Work’ and ‘Play’ safe.
Daniel L. Beal
CHSEP – Advanced Level
VP & Senior Trainer
HRS Group Inc.
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