Representatives with the Ontario Secondary School Teachers Federation virtually met with Ministry representatives Thursday for the first time since December.
OSSTF Dictrict 8 President, Shane Restall, says the mediator called the OSSTF back, but he doesn't believe they were actually at the bargaining table yet.
"We think they're not at the bargaining table yet, but rather resuming exploratory talks," said Restall. "OSSTF is the last of the education unions without a central agreement, so I think the time is soon for some action to be taken at a Provincial level for OSSTF as well."
Restall says he believes the COVID-19 pandemic has influenced negotiations in a couple of ways.
"OSSTF lifted all of the strike sanctions that were in place in terms of time of communications and all that in order to expedite communication between principals and education workers and the education workers and their students," added Restall.
Thursday's meeting was done virtually rather than in a hotel room in Toronto.