Ford criticizes teachers’ union leaders, says he won’t give in to salary demands

TORONTO — Premier Doug Ford blamed union leaders Thursday for the public school teachers’ escalating job actions, saying they were holding parents “hostage” and hurting the province’s economy.

Ford also vowed to not give in to the union’s demands for a two per cent wage increase, which the government maintains is a key issue in the stalled bargaining negotiations with the province’s public school teachers, who have been without a contract since August.

“I think they don’t have good leadership, the head of the unions,” Ford told a news conference. “They want to argue, no matter what premier, no matter what government is in power.”

All four unions representing teachers and education workers in Ontario are engaged in various job actions, including rotating strikes and work-torule campaigns.

Ford’s comment came on the same day as the union representing the province’s elementary teachers give notice to hold its second day of rotating strikes on Tuesday, affecting four boards — Grand Erie, Trillium Lakelands, Renfrew, and Superior-Greenstone.

Ontario’s French school system also started a work-to-rule campaign Thursday.

The president of the Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation said Ford’s comments were an attempt to drive a wedge between union members and their leaders.

“This is a tired old tactic from this premier to try to pretend there’s a division between the membership and the leadership,” Harvey Bischof said. “I challenge him again, if he believes I’m not properly representing the wishes of the members, to exercise his right to have my members vote on their contract proposals.”

Ford said parents support his government in the tense labour negotiations with teachers.

“One parent I saw yesterday, said the teachers are holding us hostage,” he said.

The Progressive Conservative government has passed legislation capping public sector wage increases at one per cent, something the teachers’ union are challenging in court and opposing at the bargaining table.

The government is grappling with a $7.4-billion deficit and Ford said the pay cap is necessary to help address the province’s fiscal challenges. Ford urged the union leaders to be “responsible,” adding that the labour disruptions were hurting the economy.

Interim Liberal leader John Fraser chastized Ford for disparaging the unions leadership, saying he should instead order his negotiating team back to the bargaining table.

“It’s just a ploy to try and divide people,” he said. “I think parents and teachers deserve much more from the premier than those comments.”