With L’Association des enseignantes et des enseignants franco-ontariens (AEFO), Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario (ETFO), Ontario English Catholic Teachers’ Association (OECTA), Ontario School Board Council of Unions (CUPE-OSBCU), the Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation (OSSTF/FEESO), and the Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU/SEFPO) all bargaining with the Ford government at the same time, there is a huge opportunity to win the kind of public education that students in Ontario deserve. 255,000 education workers are a force that can stop the Ford government’s defunding agenda, but to do so we have to think strategically.
Here is a four-point lesson plan for fighting Ford.
1) Solidarity is key!
The joint notice to bargain and the collaboration that started a few months back is a huge step forward from previous rounds of bargaining. The lawn signs featuring all the union logos and the joint canvassing that has taken place all over the province this summer are exactly the type of activity we need.
Past governments have tried to bargain with education unions in isolation to divide them and have them working against each other. The antidote to that is solidarity and as much collaboration as possible. The common goals of smaller class sizes and demand for classroom complexity and composition will be important for maintaining that unity.
2) Bargain for the common good!
Similarly, the demands for smaller class sizes and improvements to special education funding directly make the connection between student learning conditions and educator working conditions. It will be essential to forge links between education workers and the communities they serve. Good jobs, clean and safe schools,open libraries, fully funded special education and guidance services, physical and arts education are things that benefit everyone.
With Ford’s popularity at an all-time low, the possibility to unite the public around protecting quality education is high. Making connections with parent councils and community groups like the Ontario Education Coalition will be important.
3) Unity is built from the bottom up!
While the stated unity from union leaders is a welcome development, that unity is not guaranteed. To maintain that unity, we need active and organized rank-and-file education workers. There will be many opportunities to involve coworkers in bargaining updates, solidarity actions, canvassing the public, calling their MPPs, and even rallies and protests. We have to be activists at our work sites, looking for ways to involve the uninvolved and finding ways to coordinate with other bargaining units at our work sites.
By forging unity in practice, we can develop the confidence and connectedness to force our union leaders to maintain their unity in the face of Ford’s divisive tactics.
4) Expect the unexpected!
We have to be prepared for unexpected turns in the bargaining process. We have already seen the government delaying the start of bargaining by insisting on bringing local items to the provincial table. This may pause our momentum, but also could give us more time to prepare.
We have to be ready to answer tough questions; what do we do if one union settles before others? What will we do if another union in our building goes on strike before us? How can we build solidarity between different locals? Can we organize support for parents struggling with childcare during a strike? What if our leadership tries to get us to accept an unsatisfactory deal? Thinking through these problems before it is too late will have us better poised to win the kind of education system we need.
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