Teachers to protest Bill 115 Friday

Teachers, education professionals and school support workers are expected to gather at local MPP Todd Smith’s constituency office Friday to protest Bill 115, legislation from the McGuinty government’s “Putting Students First Act” which imposes a two-year wage freeze, pay cuts, benefit reductions and banning of strikes or lockout action for workers in Ontario’s public school system.
In many locations, teachers are marching, calling for days of action, withdrawing services and wearing black in solidarity.

Friday’s rally will “protest legislation passed this week that strips them of their democratic rights,” said Bob Cottrell, communications officer with OSSTF District 29, in a release Thursday. “Local members of the Hastings-Prince Edward Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario, District 29 of the Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation (OSSTF), and the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE, local 1022 want a send a message to MPP Smith that the legislation is unprecedented and unwarranted,”
“Bill 155 denies teachers, education professional and educational support workers the right to bargain collectively. The bill shields the government from Ontario labour laws, the Ontario Human Rights Code, and the courts and will be challenged all the way to the Supreme Court by education unions and others,” he said.
The rally is set for Friday at 3:45pm at Smith’s office, 81 Millennium Parkway, Belleville.