Ontario Education Workers Are Ending Their Strike & Students Will Be Back In Class Tomorrow

A province-wide strike by Ontario's 55,000 education workers is set to come to an end.

CUPE announced Monday following an olive branch offer from Ontario Premier Doug Ford that its workers would end their strike and return to the classroom on Tuesday.

“We have our bargaining rights back,” said Laura Walton, the president of the union that represents Ontario education workers.

Ford's offer to the union was to repeal his government's legislation that made their strike action illegal, but only if they brought that strike action to an end.

The strike has forced many schools across Ontario to close, resulting in students missing two days of in-person learning.

Both sides appear ready to return to the bargaining table, where they have remained far apart on reaching a contract agreement until now.

CUPE gave no clear timeline on its hope for an agreement moving forward.

"Sooner is better than later," said Walton.

However, she did offer a clear answer when asked if workers would strike again if talks continue to go poorly.

"Yes. Because that is the right of all workers in free collective bargaining," said Walton, followed by an eruption of cheers by union supporters surrounding her at a news conference.

CUPE Education Staff To Go Back To Work After Ontario Rescinds Bill 28 #shortswww.youtube.com

Education Minister Stephen Lecce has responded to CUPE's decision.

“CUPE has agreed to withdraw their strike action and come back to the negotiating table. In return, at the earliest opportunity, we will revoke Bill 28 in its entirety and be at the table so that kids can return to the classroom after two difficult years," Lecce said in a statement to Narcity. "As we have always said and called for, kids need to be back in the classroom, where they belong.”

The small step forward paves the way for students to return to classes across Ontario Tuesday morning.