Ontario's four major education unions say they're deeply concerned the chair of the Ontario Labour Relations Board has dismissed their health and safety case.
The unions said the decision was based on jurisdictional grounds without even hearing what they call substantive evidence backing their concerns about the Ford government's back to school plan.
Educators said the decision means they must put forward individual complaints about health and safety violations, one at a time, for adjudication, and that's not a sensible approach.
Lambton-Kent ETFO President Laurel Liddicoat-Newton said the Elementary Teachers Federation of Ontario and its affiliates are very disappointed by the ruling late Thursday.
"Teachers, education workers, custodians and parents are already exhausted trying to keep up with the realities of the large numbers of students in classrooms across our district," Liddicoat-Newton said in an email to BlackburnNews.com. "Numbers of students are not under 15 by any means. Classrooms are full with upwards of 20-to-28 children in some. We feel we may already be facing the impact of the ruling as the screening released yesterday is less stringent and allows for students with Covid-19 symptoms to return without sought medical attention."
Lambton Kent Elementary Teachers Federation President Laurel Liddicoat-Newton (Photo via Twitter)
Liddicoat-Newton said teachers and education workers have the right to refuse unsafe work, and that under the Occupational Health and Safety Act, the employer must ensure the safety of all within its school facilities and follow and train workers in appropriate policies to ensure they're protected and safe at all times.
She said the four major teachers' unions will continue to advocate for the safety of all workers.
"Teachers have been overwhelmed with the pressure, fear for students, their own families, exposure within schools and the constant changes to the COVID-19 screens by the government. The weight of the responsibility to keep their students masked and away from peers while outside on the yard is intense," she said. "The educators in the virtual schools are also stretched thin physically and mentally keeping up with hours of mastering teaching in the virtual world."
The unions said a media conference with its leaders, legal counsel and health and safety experts will be held next week.
-With files from Colin Gowdy
