Ontario high school teachers hit picket lines for third job action

TORONTO — Public high school teachers in Ontario will hit the picket lines today for their third job action in as many weeks.

Educators represented by the Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation will hold another one-day strike in a bid to ramp up pressure during contract talks with the government.

The strike will affect 10 boards across the province, closing high schools in areas including Thunder Bay and Waterloo.

The union says it is pressing the government to reverse increases to class size and mandatory e-learning requirements.

The government says the main issue is compensation, as the province attempts to cap public sector salary increases at one per cent. The union is asking for increases of approximately two per cent.

A government-appointed mediator has called off talks between the parties until the new year, saying their proposals remain too far apart.

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