By Trudeau Gulati
In the last few weeks, we students have heard a lot about strikes and had to deal with two days of school cancellations. Many students got anxious and worried about the labour troubles and thought that it might become an extended period of learning from home or the possibility of another disrupted year. It might still be a year of labour disruptions, but it’s essential to understand what is happening.
The government of Ontario utilized the notwithstanding clause to try to force contracts upon the workers, effectively taking away their right to protest or negotiate a fair contract. Jessica Sheahan is an education worker and regional representative for the Ontario School Board Council of Unions and suggests, “Wages for education workers have risen far less quickly than the rate of inflation” (Goodwin, 2022). Unfortunately, the intended effect of imposing the notwithstanding clause backfired on the Ontario government and education minister Stephen Lecce. In the face of public outrage, the government backed down and returned to the negotiating table.
For students, every emotion came into play; some of us felt excited to be off school. Others felt complete anxiety. Some of us thought ambivalence after everything we have dealt with regarding our education in the last few years. It feels unfair that students remain caught in the crosshairs. On the one hand, we support the staff and teachers at our schools, but we all want extracurricular activities and a typical school year. Is there a middle ground to supporting school staff but finding a better way to vocalize opposition?
I don’t fully understand striking action, and I don’t think most people in our high school have much understanding of labour negotiations. We care about getting back to normal and not having everyone at odds. That’s a student’s version, but the sentiments are very different when you speak to adults. This year may have several disruptions as our teachers don’t have formal contracts, and we students should have a voice. We need to start talking about this so we don’t get surprised when labour negotiations take away the most critical aspect of our lives, school. Let’s start talking about this and get to solutions.
Goodwin, N. (2022, November 13). Education workers, unions vow to keep pressure on Ford Government | CBC News. CBCnews. Retrieved from https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/ottawa-education-workers-negotations-1.6649981