January 30th, 2020

The Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation (OSSTF) has announced that on Tuesday, February 4, 2020, their members will engage in a full withdrawal of services (strike action) in selected boards where OSSTF is represented across the province unless an agreement is reached at the central bargaining table. Waterloo Region District School Board (WRDSB) has been included in the list of Boards where withdrawal of services is to occur. 

In WRDSB, OSSTF represents secondary school teachers as well as a number of other education workers. Education workers include our school secretaries, custodial and maintenance staff that work in all of our elementary and secondary schools, and our Education Centre.  OSSTF includes the following groups: Secondary Teachers and Occasional Teachers (TBU), Custodial and Maintenance (CAMA), Educational Support Staff (ESS), Professional Student Services Personnel (PSSP), Supervision Monitors and Cafeteria Assistants (SMACA).  

These education workers are critical to the safety and well-being of our students and the daily operations of all of our schools. As such, we have determined that we cannot ensure the safety of our students at schools during this particular one-day (1-day) strike action. 

In the event of a one-day strike, on February 4, 2020: 

ALL SCHOOLS, both elementary and secondary, will be closed to students. 

ALL before and after school childcare programs, extended day childcare programs, Early ON Centres and childcare centres located in WRDSB schools will close. 

ALL extracurricular activities scheduled for February 4, 2020, are cancelled.

All rental permits (community use of schools) are cancelled effective February 1, 2020, until further notice.

All schools will reopen and resume their regular routines on Wednesday, February 5, 2020.

At this time, no other job action has been announced by OSSTF.   We will continue to monitor the labour situation and will provide updates as they become available. We remain hopeful that an agreement is reached and that our schools will be open to our students on Tuesday, February 4, 2020.

Just a reminder to our families, as previously announced, ETFO has indicated that a province-wide full-day withdrawal of services will occur on Thursday, February 6, 2020, and an additional withdrawal of service in selected boards, including the Waterloo Region District School Board, on Friday, February 7, 2020.  The ETFO withdrawal will impact elementary schools only.

As changes to job action can happen at any time, it is important to stay tuned and stay informed in the event that the one-day full withdrawal of service is cancelled.  For information updates please:

We understand that job action is frustrating for families, students and staff.  Thank you for your patience and understanding during this time.