Elementary teachers reject Ontario’s offer to head to arbitration, avoid strike

The union representing elementary teachers in Ontario says it will not accept a deal to head to arbitration to avoid a strike.

Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario president Karen Brown says the union will file for conciliation.

She says the pace of negotiations with the province has become unacceptably slow.

The union says it is planning to hold a strike vote in September.

Last week, the province and the union that represents English high school teachers agreed to negotiate until the end of October and send outstanding issues to arbitration.

On Monday, Education Minister Stephen Lecce urged the three other teachers unions to agree to the same deal that avoids a strike.