Make education an essential service

Ontario premiers Bob Rae, Mike Harris, Dalton McGuinty and Kathleen Wynne all succumbed to the blackmail of the teachers’ unions. It appears easier to settle excessive demands than deal with the issues.

The unions have achieved this by repeatedly taking job action because it provides them leverage from the public, who are greatly inconvenienced.

This blackmailing affects at least three million Ontarians. The teachers have achieved significant concessions including high wages, control over teacher-student ratios, excessive holidays, pay increases for years of service irrespective of merit performance, full pension plans that allow for retirement earlier than most Canadians, and control over substitute teaching, among others.

It’s about time the Ontario government got tough and advised unions that education is a provincial responsibility and teachers are employees. Employers, not unions, need to set the standards for class size, online courses, hours of work and curriculum.

Ontario teachers are the highest paid in the country. Ontarians should have expectations that their education system is the best, with student performance and the quality of education being exemplary. This is not the case. When the actions and dictates of a few affect the many and are used as a negotiating ploy, then there is an inherent unfairness in the system.

It is time to consider deeming Ontario education an essential service.

Roger Harbord, Prospect, Ont.