Ontario NDP members kicked out of legislature amid debate over education workers' strike

Several NDP MPPs were ejected from the Ontario legislature on Wednesday as a debate over the government's response to contract negotiations with the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) descended into chaos.

The government has said it would return to the table if the mediator asks, and had wanted to hear if CUPE’s new offer was “reasonable.” But Stephen Lecce said Wednesday any new proposal must include cancelling a strike planned for Friday.

The 55,000 workers such as early childhood educators, educational assistants and custodians plan to walk off the job, despite looming legislation that would make it illegal. CUPE has not indicated whether the strike would go beyond Friday.

The Ontario government has introduced a bill – and is hoping to pass it this week – to impose a contract on the education workers and ban them from striking upon threat of steep fines.

Read more: https://globalnews.ca/news/9244074/cupe-awaits-ontario-response-counter-offer-strike/