Three thousand OSSTF members set to strike in York Region

York Region OSSTF members set to strike Students at 33 high schools across the York Region District School Board have the day off tomorrow when about 3000 District 16 OSSTF members

For the first time in three weeks, Simcoe County secondary schools will be open on Wednesday.

3000 Ontario Secondary School Teachers' Federation members in York Region, however, will be taking part in a one-day strike on Wednesday.

Simran Ghuman is one of 41,000 high schoolers given the day off. The Aurora High School student said she supports the strike by teachers and support staff.

"There's like a lot of cuts to education, like bigger class sizes and stuff like that," said Ghuman.

According to OSSTF District 16 president Sandy Glassford, as many as 10,000 teachers and support workers will lose their jobs under proposed changes to the public education system by the Ontario government. One hundred jobs are already gone in York Region, leading to a loss of 118 classes in math, English and the Arts.

"We have a lot of students that their pathways are being cancelled because we just do not have the teachers anymore," said Glassford.

The biggest issues for teachers include e-learning and larger classes, which will ultimately result in job losses.

"The teacher has to spread around more and less time for you to talk to her," said student Dominic Murji, "And ask questions."

The York Region District School Board informed secondary school parents of the upcoming one-day closure of schools Wednesday.

"We understand this is inconvenient for parents and disappointing for families," said YRDSB Corporate Communications Senior Manager Licinio Miguelo. "However, we also respect our employees' rights to bargain collectively."

York's catholic high school teachers will not be taking part in the one-day strike. Support and education staff who are members of OSSTF will be striking.