“Bill 28 still needs to be repealed, we were given a promise and that needs to be delivered,” said Jessica Sheehan, a preschool teacher who also heads the Ottawa regional strike committee. “We were hoping this would be immediate, but it’s Monday and we want a fair deal for our students and staff.” This week, Premier Doug Ford promised to withdraw Bill 28, which banned the strike and imposed a contract. While education workers are back on the job, the union says its fight for a fair deal is far from over. Meanwhile, solidarity rallies were held across the province, including in Ford’s constituency office. Education Minister Steven Lecce declined to comment Saturday. A Ford spokesman said new legislation to repeal the Education Workers Bill would be introduced on Monday. A statement from CUPE said in part, “The Central Bargaining Committee, made up of frontline educators from across Ontario, is currently medicated with the sole focus of negotiating a collective agreement that meets the needs of students, parents and employees”. Michaela Ferguson attended the rally on Saturday to support her family and the teaching assistant in her nephew’s classroom. “He’s in a special class so the support there allows him to go to school and my sister can also work,” she said. Those at the schools said supporting these workers is critical. “I’m being asked right now to do EA as well and I see all the work they deal with every day and we have an (extended day program) and we have a kid who needs EA help and we’re struggling to find people all the time,” said Angele Adams , who was at the rally. The march was completed by noon.
