Catholic teachers are the latest education workers poised to launch job action to protest stalled contract talks with the provincial government.
The Ontario English Catholic Teachers' Association (OECTA) announced Wednesday that it will take administrative job action beginning Monday, January 13 if a tentative agreement is not reached before then.
OECTA St. Clair Elementary President Wayne Bechard said the 790 permanent and occasional teachers with the St. Clair Catholic District School Board will not perform certain duties.
"There will be no impact on student learning," said Bechard. "From an administrative duty perspective, teachers will not be completing report card comments, EQAO activities will not happen, no ministry mandated initiatives and no staff meetings. So like I said nothing on student learning, but more towards administrative duties that go along with teaching."
Bechard said talks with the province are planned Thursday and Friday.
He said the two sides have already met almost 40 times but have failed to reach a deal.
"Very positive relationship with the Catholic trustees, but it's the government I believe whose not taking things seriously," he said. "So I think OECTA's plan here is to draw attention to this, in the hopes that the government will finally start to take talks seriously and come to the table and reach a fair agreement."
Bechard said on Monday, teachers will also be conducting information pickets before and after classes outside the local board's 28 elementary and secondary schools, to keep parents up-to-date.
In November, union members gave their bargaining committee a strike mandate by a vote of 97.1 per cent.