OSSTF/FEESO engages in one-day strike including the Toronto District School Board. Other unions such as ETFO and OECTA hold similar work actions.

OSSTF/FEESO announces a one-day strike in several boards across the province, including Toronto District School Board on Jan. 21.

OSSTF/FEESO members engage in one-day strike across 16 boards in the province.

Confidential documents leaked in the Toronto Star reveal Ford Government viewed cuts to education as a fiscal exercise, designed to achieve “maximum revenue generation” by selling their e-learning courses to other jurisdictions at a profit

One-day teacher strike closes schools in eight boards in Ontario. OSSTF Harvey Bischof says he will call off the strike if the government agrees to return to last year's class size levels, but Education Minister Stephen Lecce rejects the offer.

OSSTF/FEESO announces one-day strike in select boards for January 8 but offers to postpone strike action if staffing ratios are returned to 18/19 and protected.

December 18: OSSTF/FEESO members in eight districts engage in a one-day full withdrawal of services.

OSSTF/FEESO and the province agree to media black-out over the course of their two-day negotiations. No new proposals forthcoming from Government team. Mediator calls off negotiations after one day.

Minister Lecce escalates his rhetoric, making the erroneous claim that OSSTF/FEESO’s compensation ask would add up to $7.0B. Travis Dhanraj of Global News fact checks Minister Lecce’s statement and notes that OSSTF/FEESO has "definitely NOT made any such demand.” The $7.0B figure becomes widely scrutinized and questioned by the media.

OSSTF/FEESO members in nine districts engage in a one-day full withdrawal of services. Beyhan Farhadi publishes a widely shared, extensive twitter thread explaining her findings in her dissertation on e-Learning in the TDSB.

December 7: Colin D’Mello clears up the $1.5B figure Minister Lecce continues to reference and concludes that OSSTF/FEESO compensation ask amounts to $200M/3 years or $66M/year.

OSSTF/FEESO announces one-day strike in select boards for December 11 but proposes to postpone the work action and use a mutually agreed upon private mediator if the government agrees to: revert to 2018-19 average class size regulation of 22:1; eliminate mandatory e-Learning; provide assurances that Bill 124 will not be an impediment to free collective bargaining. Government refuses.

All OSSTF/FEESO members across the province engage in a one-day full withdrawal of services.

OSSTF/FEESO meets with the government team for approximately seven minutes with government tabling no new proposals or showing any willingness to engage in substantive discussions. Travis Dhranaj of Global News publishes story on how leaked government consultation reveals 70% of parents disapprove of increased class sizes.

OSSTF/FEESO meets with Government team for a total of 11 minutes with no substantive discussion of any new proposals. OSSTF/FEESO announces one-day walkout on December 4.

OSSTF/FEESO members begin information pickets and selective withdrawal of services.

Minister Lecce backtracks publicly again, announcing graduation requirement of two e-Learning courses, instead of four. Many media outlets note that jurisdictions with mandatory e-Learning requirements have seen mixed results and rank low in overall education scores. OSSTF/FEESO announces November 26 job action.

OSSTF/FEESO meets with mediator. Over the course of two days of bargaining, the parties met for a total of 39 minutes. Beyhan Farhadi publishes study on e-Learning in the TDSB which documents large inequalities in student experiences and abilities.

Minister Lecce says on CBC Metro Morning teachers want 2% and it would cost $1.5B. #LecceFactCheck notes the OSSTF has never tabled a 2% increase but is asking for a cost-of-living increase tied to the Consumer Price Index, which projects to be <2% per year, for the next five years. In Queen’s Park, Minister Lecce says PC government is spending more on public education than any government in Ontario’s history. #LecceFactCheck – according to Ministry of Education data, spending has decreased by an average of $54 per pupil compared to 2018-19.

OSSTF/FEESO announces strong strike mandate from membership. Minister Lecce calls for mediation through press conference. OSSTF agrees at the bargaining table.

Martin Regg Cohn of the Toronto Star publishes column titled, ‘How Doug Ford’s Tories set the table for costly failure in teachers’ talks.’

OSSTF/FEESO proposes potential cost-saving areas to offset or reverse proposed cuts and asks government for fiscal information to fuel substantive discussion on the subject. Government takes less than two hours to review proposal, dismisses all potential areas for cost-savings and refuses to provide fiscal information.

Ontario government passes Bill 124.

: Bargaining continues, but with very limited discussion. Minister Lecce continues to make public statements that he is looking for a deal despite his team refusing to bring amended proposals on significant issues to the table.

Ricardo Tranjan of the CCPA (Behind the Numbers) publishes interactive map showing board by board cuts to education funding and the impact it will have across the province.

OSSTF/FEESO members who have either lost their jobs or seen reduction in their roles as a result of Ford’s cuts attend Queen’s Park.

Here For Students Campaign hits another critical milestone: Ontarians have sent over 300,000 letters and tweets to MPPs and the Minister of Education calling on them to reverse their cuts to education.

Negotiations continue (8 days of bargaining to date), but government is still unwilling to discuss substantive issues of class sizes, e-Learning or educator cuts. Ricardo Tranjan of the CCPA’s Behind the Numbers publishes article noting that under the government’s increase from 22:1 to 25:1, 5,900 teachers will lose their jobs.

At a press conference rather than the bargaining table, Ministry publicly backtracks on class size increases, announcing they will increase from 22 to 25 instead of increasing to 28. Government frames the increase in class sizes as a reduction and says this is a “first move” and not the “final move” on class sizes.

OSSTF/FEESO files for conciliation for both support staff and the T/OT central bargaining tables. Minister Lecce incorrectly says that 2% pay raise is holding up the negotiations.

In response to the government’s unwillingness to negotiate on any substantive issues, OSSTF/FEESO announces that strike votes will be taken.

Negotiations continue; despite multiple days of bargaining (5 total), government has yet to “present any new proposals on any of the significant issues that are on the table”.

OSSTF/FEESO tables Support Staff negotiating brief with Ministry.

OSSTF/FEESO tables Teacher/Occasional Teacher negotiating brief with Ministry.

After months of government claiming not a single frontline educator would lose their job as a result of their cuts, Financial Accountability Officer of Ontario issues a report that projects 10,000 teaching positions will be lost over the next 5 years because of Ford’s funding cuts.

OSSTF/FEESO launches Bargaining for Education, announcing their transparent bargaining position and making negotiating briefs available to the public.

OSSTF President appears on The Agenda with Steve Paikin to discuss education cuts in Ontario.

Initial bargaining dates of September 19 withdrawn by the Ministry, but new dates set for end of the month. Kristin Rushowy publishes article in The Toronto Star outlining the concerns of Grade 12 students who can’t take the necessary courses needed for university because of larger classroom sizes.

OLRB renders decision

Ricardo Tranjan of the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (CCPA) (Behind the Numbers) publishes article stating “the Ontario government is transferring $430 million less (adjusted for inflation) to school boards than the amount transferred in 2017-2018. That’s a (real) 2% cut in total operating funding.”

TDSB announces 300 jobs lost for 2019-2020 school year due to Ford’s cuts according to CP24 article.

August 22: OLRB hearing takes place.

OSSTF/FEESO lets Ontarians know that members will be in schools in September.

The OLRB sets date of August 22 for hearing of application

Here For Students Campaign hits a critical milestone: Ontarians have sent over 200,000 letters and tweets to MPPs and the Minister of Education calling on them to reverse their cuts to education.

With no agreement on the scope of bargaining, OSSTF/FEESO applies to the Ontario Labour Relations Board (OLRB) for assistance in determining the scope of central table issues.

Ontario government introduces Bill 124, which seeks to legislate a cap of 1% on future public sector negotiated contracts for a period of 3 years.

Ministry hires expensive Bay Street Law Firm to act as their representative in negotiations.

Consultation period on the Education That Works For You plan ends. Results of this consultation have never been referenced by government and have not been released by government.

Third meeting to discuss scope of bargaining. Still no agreement on the issue. OSSTF/FEESO proposes expedited alternative dispute resolution.

Toronto Star publishes an article pricing the cost of the government’s education consultation at $1M. More than 72,000 individuals made submissions and the government says they listened to the public when considering their plans for education, but refuses to release the results of the consultation.

First day to begin the bargaining process. OSSTF/FEESO gives notice to bargain to the Ministry of Education.

Ministry announces the Grants for Student Needs, confirming the funding cuts outlined on March 15.

Budget 2019 is released, including all plans outlined on March 15.

Over 10,000 educators, parents, and concerned members of the public protest the proposed cuts to education at Queen’s Park.

Ministry memo to school boards regarding Attrition Protection funding (government’s $1.6B fund to transition to larger funded average class sizes and fewer teachers in schools). Confirms cuts to 10,000 teachers are planned.

OSSTF/FEESO launches Here For Students Campaign; Ontarians send 50,000+ letters to MPPs and the Minister of Education over the next three weeks calling on government to reverse their cuts and return the average funded class size to 2018-19 levels.

Minister of Education Hon. Lisa Thompson announces government’s “new vision” for education: Education That Works For You – a plan to “modernize classrooms” by increasing funded class size average to 28, requiring completion of four e-Learning courses for graduation, and decreasing education grants to school boards. Government consultation on this plan begins.