Ontario: Although education workers have returned to work after talks between the union and the province resumed on Tuesday, it appears that the two sides are still far away from each other on a number of the crucial issues.
The Canadian Union of Public Employees (COUPE), which represents 50,000 Education Support staff, says it will not accept the province’s offer of a two-layer increase in allowances.
Pertinently, the Ford government has offered an increase in allowances in two layers. A statement issued by the bargaining committee on Wednesday said, “We are very clear on this matter and this deal will be concluded only when there is a uniform increase in allowances for all.”
But according to the union, no such offer has been made by the government so far. According to the information received, the Ford government has offered to increase the salary by 3.5 percent year for low-paid workers and about 2 percent increase for high-paid workers.
CUPE said he had not received any such offer so far, but if such an offer was made, he would ask his members not to accept it.
They also asked the Ford to refrain from making any statement public during the ongoing process of this deal.