The Ontario Labor Relations Board says the provincial government has withdrawn its request to declare the walkout of 55,000 education workers illegal. Workers represented by the Canadian Union of Public Employees walked off the job last Friday after the government passed legislation that imposed a contract and banned the strike. On Monday, Premier Doug Ford promised to scrap the legislation if workers walk off the job, and CUPE said workers would return to work the next day. The strike had closed hundreds of schools for in-person learning. The Ontario Labor Relations Board says government lawyers told the board Wednesday they were withdrawing the province’s application and CUPE’s legal counsel agreed to the withdrawal. CUPE and the government returned to the bargaining table on Tuesday and negotiations are continuing.
