Ontario education workers set to vote on strike mandate in November
Written by The Canadian Press on September 21, 2026
TORONTO — A third Ontario education union has set a strike vote for November.
About 57,000 education workers represented by the Canadian Union of Public Employees’ Ontario School Board Council of Unions branch will be able to vote on whether to give their union a strike mandate.
Their vote is set to take place between Nov. 4 and 18.
The Ontario English Catholic Teachers’ Association and the Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario have also set strike votes for November.
Current education contracts expired at the end of August, but negotiations for a new deal stalled before they even really started, with the parties not agreeing on which issues should be bargained centrally, and which should be left to local unions and school boards.
The major education unions are awaiting a ruling on that from the Ontario Labour Relations Board.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 21, 2026.
Allison Jones, The Canadian Press