{
  "dataset": "Ontario education bargaining tracker 2026",
  "description": "Bargaining timeline events with sources, union-by-union stage records, stage definitions, and the claim-status registry.",
  "publisher": "End The Wait Ontario",
  "publisherUrl": "https://www.endthewaitontario.com",
  "license": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/",
  "sourceOfTruth": "lib/data/education-bargaining-2026.ts",
  "statsSsotLastVerified": "2026-08-10",
  "dataAsOf": "2026-08-12",
  "unions": [
    {
      "id": "etfo",
      "abbr": "ETFO",
      "name": "Elementary Teachers' Federation of Ontario",
      "represents": "Elementary public school teachers, occasional teachers, and education workers",
      "members": null,
      "presidentName": "David Mastin",
      "currentStage": "central-table",
      "statusNote": "Served notice to bargain June 3, 2026. President has said publicly that the federation is preparing for possible strike votes. No official public announcement reviewed reports a completed strike vote or a scheduled strike.",
      "sourceIds": [
        "etfo-notice-2026",
        "globe-notice-2026"
      ],
      "website": "https://www.etfo.ca/"
    },
    {
      "id": "osstf",
      "abbr": "OSSTF/FEESO",
      "name": "Ontario Secondary School Teachers' Federation",
      "represents": "Secondary school teachers and a wide range of education support staff",
      "members": null,
      "presidentName": "Martha Hradowy",
      "currentStage": "central-table",
      "statusNote": "Served notice to bargain June 3, 2026. President has described the system as being at a breaking point. No official public announcement reviewed reports a completed strike vote or a scheduled strike.",
      "sourceIds": [
        "osstf-notice-2026",
        "globe-notice-2026"
      ],
      "website": "https://www.osstf.on.ca/"
    },
    {
      "id": "oecta",
      "abbr": "OECTA",
      "name": "Ontario English Catholic Teachers' Association",
      "represents": "English Catholic school teachers",
      "members": null,
      "presidentName": "René Jansen in de Wal",
      "currentStage": "scope-dispute",
      "statusNote": "Served notice to bargain June 3, 2026. AEFO now reports that teacher negotiations are temporarily paused while the Ontario Labour Relations Board decides which subjects belong at the central and local tables. AEFO says current working conditions remain in place until a new agreement is signed. No official public announcement reviewed reports a completed strike vote or a scheduled strike.",
      "sourceIds": [
        "etfo-notice-2026",
        "aefo-bargaining-2026"
      ],
      "website": "https://www.catholicteachers.ca/"
    },
    {
      "id": "aefo",
      "abbr": "AEFO",
      "name": "Association des enseignantes et des enseignants franco-ontariens",
      "represents": "French-language teachers in public and Catholic boards",
      "members": null,
      "presidentName": "Gabrielle Lemieux",
      "currentStage": "central-table",
      "statusNote": "Served notice to bargain June 3, 2026. No official public announcement reviewed reports a completed strike vote or a scheduled strike.",
      "sourceIds": [
        "etfo-notice-2026"
      ],
      "website": "https://www.aefo.on.ca/"
    },
    {
      "id": "osbcu",
      "abbr": "CUPE-OSBCU",
      "name": "Ontario School Board Council of Unions (CUPE)",
      "represents": "Education assistants, early childhood educators, custodial, clerical, library, IT and trades staff",
      "members": 57000,
      "presidentName": "Joe Tigani",
      "currentStage": "scope-dispute",
      "statusNote": "Four days at the central table as of July 22, 2026. OSBCU rejected a Ministry proposal to move historically local items - leave, layoff and recall language, allowances - to the central table. On August 6, 2026 it filed a formal application asking the Ontario Labour Relations Board to determine what belongs in central scope, and asked in writing that bargaining continue meanwhile on the items both sides agree are central. OSBCU says it cannot say how long the Board will take. No official public announcement reviewed reports a completed strike vote or a scheduled strike; locals have been asked to sign strike pledges, which is a different thing.",
      "sourceIds": [
        "osbcu-update-5",
        "osbcu-update-6",
        "osbcu-letter-crown-cea",
        "etfo-notice-2026"
      ],
      "website": "https://osbcu.ca/"
    }
  ],
  "stages": [
    {
      "id": "notice-served",
      "label": "Notice to bargain served",
      "what": "A union formally tells the employers and the government that it wants to start talks. After notice is served, the parties must meet within 15 days.",
      "meansForSupports": "Nothing changes at school. Your child’s supports carry on exactly as they are.",
      "permitsJobAction": false
    },
    {
      "id": "central-table",
      "label": "At the central table",
      "what": "Province-wide talks are underway between the union, the employers’ bargaining agency, and the government. Local issues are bargained separately at each board.",
      "meansForSupports": "Nothing changes at school. This is normal bargaining.",
      "permitsJobAction": false
    },
    {
      "id": "scope-dispute",
      "label": "Scope dispute at the Labour Board",
      "what": "The parties disagree about which issues belong at the central table and which belong at local tables. The Ontario Labour Relations Board decides. Talks can slow down or pause while that happens.",
      "meansForSupports": "Nothing changes at school. If a scope dispute pushes bargaining later into the year, the statutory steps that must come before any lawful job action would be pushed later too.",
      "permitsJobAction": false
    },
    {
      "id": "conciliation",
      "label": "Conciliation",
      "what": "One side asks the Ministry of Labour to appoint a conciliation officer to help them reach a deal. This is a required step before any lawful strike.",
      "meansForSupports": "Nothing changes at school yet. This is the first step that leads toward a possible strike, so it is the point to ask your school for its contingency plan in writing.",
      "permitsJobAction": false
    },
    {
      "id": "no-board-report",
      "label": "No-board report issued",
      "what": "The Minister of Labour reports that a conciliation board will not be appointed. This starts a countdown. When the countdown ends, a lawful strike or lockout becomes possible.",
      "meansForSupports": "Still no change at school, but the clock is now running. If you have not received a written continuity plan, this is the moment to escalate.",
      "permitsJobAction": false
    },
    {
      "id": "legal-strike-position",
      "label": "Legal strike position",
      "what": "The countdown has ended. A lawful strike or lockout is now possible. It does not mean one is happening - a union must still hold a strike vote and give notice.",
      "meansForSupports": "Supports may be affected if job action begins. Your child’s right to accommodation does not pause. Boards, unions and the government each have a duty to plan for continued access.",
      "permitsJobAction": true
    },
    {
      "id": "job-action",
      "label": "Job action underway",
      "what": "Work-to-rule, rotating strikes, or a full withdrawal of services has begun. What is affected depends on which union is acting and which duties they have withdrawn.",
      "meansForSupports": "This is where students with disabilities are hit hardest - especially when educational assistants are involved. The duty to accommodate still applies in full.",
      "permitsJobAction": true
    },
    {
      "id": "tentative-agreement",
      "label": "Tentative agreement reached",
      "what": "Bargainers have shaken hands on a deal. It is not binding until members vote to accept it.",
      "meansForSupports": "Any job action normally stops. Supports return to normal.",
      "permitsJobAction": false
    },
    {
      "id": "ratified",
      "label": "Agreement ratified",
      "what": "Members have voted to accept the deal. The contract is in force.",
      "meansForSupports": "Bargaining is over for this round. What was won or lost now shapes the next few years.",
      "permitsJobAction": false
    }
  ],
  "timeline": [
    {
      "date": "2022-09-01",
      "title": "Current central agreements take effect",
      "detail": "The four-year central agreements covering Ontario teachers and education workers begin.",
      "sourceIds": [
        "etfo-notice-2026"
      ],
      "status": "occurred"
    },
    {
      "date": "2026-03-02",
      "title": "Unions jointly call for early bargaining",
      "detail": "AEFO, ETFO, OECTA, OSBCU and OSSTF publicly ask the government to start bargaining early, citing the risk of a September disruption. The unions say the call was not taken up.",
      "sourceIds": [
        "unions-early-bargaining-2026",
        "etfo-notice-2026"
      ],
      "status": "occurred"
    },
    {
      "date": "2026-03-04",
      "title": "The early-bargaining window opens",
      "detail": "Under the School Boards Collective Bargaining Act framework, the Minister of Education may allow central bargaining to begin up to 180 days before the agreements expire. That window opens roughly 180 days ahead of the August 31 expiry. The unions had asked two days earlier for exactly this. It was not used, and bargaining began after notice was served in June.",
      "sourceIds": [
        "osstf-early-bargaining-2026",
        "unions-early-bargaining-2026"
      ],
      "status": "occurred"
    },
    {
      "date": "2026-06-03",
      "title": "Five unions serve notice to bargain",
      "detail": "AEFO, ETFO, OECTA, OSBCU and OSSTF/FEESO each serve notice to bargain, together representing more than 255,000 teachers and education workers. The parties must meet within 15 days.",
      "sourceIds": [
        "etfo-notice-2026",
        "osstf-notice-2026",
        "globe-notice-2026"
      ],
      "status": "occurred"
    },
    {
      "date": "2026-07-22",
      "title": "OSBCU refers scope dispute to the Labour Board",
      "detail": "After four days at the central table, OSBCU rejects a Ministry proposal to centralize historically local items and refers the scope question to the Ontario Labour Relations Board. OSBCU says the dispute could delay bargaining by several months.",
      "sourceIds": [
        "osbcu-update-5"
      ],
      "status": "occurred"
    },
    {
      "date": "2026-08-06",
      "title": "OSBCU files a formal scope application with the Labour Board",
      "detail": "OSBCU files its application asking the Ontario Labour Relations Board to determine which issues belong within the scope of central bargaining, and writes to the Crown and the employers’ bargaining agency asking that bargaining proceed meanwhile on the items both sides already agree are central. OSBCU says it cannot say how long the Board will take.",
      "sourceIds": [
        "osbcu-update-6",
        "osbcu-letter-crown-cea"
      ],
      "status": "occurred"
    },
    {
      "date": "2026-08-31",
      "title": "Central agreements expire",
      "detail": "The 2022-2026 central agreements expire. Expiry alone does not permit a strike - conciliation and a no-board report must come first.",
      "sourceIds": [
        "etfo-notice-2026",
        "sbcba-2014"
      ],
      "status": "scheduled"
    }
  ],
  "claims": {
    "combinedMembers": {
      "displayValue": "more than 255,000",
      "status": "verified",
      "label": "Teachers and education workers covered by the five central tables",
      "sourceIds": [
        "etfo-notice-2026",
        "osstf-notice-2026"
      ],
      "asOf": "2026-06-03"
    },
    "unionCount": {
      "displayValue": "five",
      "status": "verified",
      "label": "Unions that served notice to bargain on the same day",
      "sourceIds": [
        "etfo-notice-2026"
      ],
      "asOf": "2026-06-03"
    },
    "contractExpiry": {
      "displayValue": "August 31, 2026",
      "status": "verified",
      "label": "Central agreement expiry date",
      "sourceIds": [
        "etfo-notice-2026"
      ]
    },
    "noticeDate": {
      "displayValue": "June 3, 2026",
      "status": "verified",
      "label": "Date notice to bargain was served",
      "sourceIds": [
        "etfo-notice-2026",
        "osstf-notice-2026"
      ]
    },
    "meetWindowDays": {
      "displayValue": "15 days",
      "status": "verified",
      "label": "Time within which the parties must meet after notice is served",
      "sourceIds": [
        "globe-notice-2026"
      ]
    },
    "strikeVotesHeld": {
      "displayValue": "none publicly reported",
      "status": "verified",
      "label": "Completed strike votes reported in the official public sources reviewed",
      "sourceIds": [
        "globe-notice-2026",
        "osbcu-update-5",
        "osbcu-update-6",
        "aefo-bargaining-2026"
      ],
      "asOf": "2026-08-30"
    },
    "earlyBargainingWindowDays": {
      "displayValue": "180 days",
      "status": "verified",
      "label": "How far before expiry the Minister may allow central bargaining to begin",
      "sourceIds": [
        "osstf-early-bargaining-2026"
      ]
    },
    "olrbApplicationDate": {
      "displayValue": "August 6, 2026",
      "status": "verified",
      "label": "Date OSBCU filed its scope application with the Ontario Labour Relations Board",
      "sourceIds": [
        "osbcu-update-6"
      ]
    },
    "olrbTimeline": {
      "displayValue": "not known",
      "status": "claim",
      "label": "How long the Labour Board scope process will take",
      "claimedBy": "Ontario School Board Council of Unions",
      "sourceIds": [
        "osbcu-update-6"
      ],
      "asOf": "2026-08-06"
    },
    "employerReturnCondition": {
      "displayValue": "“They indicated they would only return to the bargaining table if CUPE-OSBCU accepted their demands.”",
      "status": "claim",
      "label": "OSBCU’s account of the condition placed on returning to the table",
      "claimedBy": "Ontario School Board Council of Unions",
      "sourceIds": [
        "osbcu-update-6"
      ],
      "asOf": "2026-08-06"
    },
    "osbcuTableDays": {
      "displayValue": "four",
      "status": "verified",
      "label": "Days OSBCU had spent at the central table",
      "sourceIds": [
        "osbcu-update-5"
      ],
      "asOf": "2026-07-22"
    },
    "underfundingClaimGlobe": {
      "displayValue": "$6.4 billion",
      "status": "claim",
      "label": "Cumulative education underfunding since 2018",
      "claimedBy": "Ontario education unions, as reported by The Globe and Mail",
      "sourceIds": [
        "globe-notice-2026"
      ],
      "asOf": "2026-06-03"
    },
    "underfundingClaimOsbcu": {
      "displayValue": "$6.5 billion",
      "status": "claim",
      "label": "Cuts to publicly funded education since 2018",
      "claimedBy": "Ontario School Board Council of Unions",
      "sourceIds": [
        "osbcu-update-5"
      ],
      "asOf": "2026-07-22"
    }
  },
  "sources": [
    {
      "id": "etfo-notice-2026",
      "title": "Ontario's Education Unions Serve Notice to Bargain",
      "type": "advocacy-org",
      "tier": "tier-2",
      "url": "https://www.etfo.ca/news-publications/media-releases/ontario-education-unions-serve-notice-to-bargain-2026",
      "publisher": "Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario",
      "publicationDate": "2026-06-03",
      "retrievalDate": "2026-08-04",
      "notes": "Joint release of the five central unions. Source for the June 3 notice date, the 255,000+ combined figure, the joint list of bargaining priorities, and the five presidents’ names."
    },
    {
      "id": "osstf-notice-2026",
      "title": "Ontario's Education Unions Serve Notice to Bargain",
      "type": "advocacy-org",
      "tier": "tier-2",
      "url": "https://www.osstf.on.ca/en-CA/news/ontario-s-education-unions-serve-notice-to-bargain.aspx",
      "publisher": "Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation",
      "publicationDate": "2026-06-03",
      "retrievalDate": "2026-08-04",
      "notes": "OSSTF mirror of the joint June 3 release."
    },
    {
      "id": "unions-early-bargaining-2026",
      "title": "Ontario's Education Unions Call for an Early Start to Bargaining to Best Support Students and Families",
      "type": "advocacy-org",
      "tier": "tier-2",
      "url": "https://osbcu.ca/2026/03/02/ontarios-education-unions-call-for-an-early-start-to-bargaining-to-best-support-students-and-families/",
      "publisher": "Ontario School Board Council of Unions",
      "publicationDate": "2026-03-02",
      "retrievalDate": "2026-08-04",
      "notes": "The March 2 joint call for early bargaining, which the unions say the government did not take up."
    },
    {
      "id": "osbcu-update-5",
      "title": "OSBCU 2026 Central Bargaining Update #5",
      "type": "advocacy-org",
      "tier": "tier-2",
      "url": "https://osbcu.ca/2026/07/22/osbcu-2026-central-bargaining-update-5/",
      "publisher": "Ontario School Board Council of Unions",
      "publicationDate": "2026-07-22",
      "retrievalDate": "2026-08-04",
      "notes": "Source for days at the central table, the Ontario Labour Relations Board scope dispute over centralizing historically local items, and OSBCU’s own statement that the dispute could delay bargaining by several months."
    },
    {
      "id": "globe-notice-2026",
      "title": "Ontario education unions serve notice to bargain as possible September strike looms",
      "type": "news-media",
      "tier": "tier-2",
      "url": "https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/article-ontario-education-unions-collective-bargaining-notice/",
      "publisher": "The Globe and Mail",
      "publicationDate": "2026-06-03",
      "retrievalDate": "2026-08-04",
      "notes": "Source for the 15-day meet requirement, union leaders’ statements that they are preparing for strike votes, and the 6.4-billion-dollar underfunding figure as characterized by the unions in this report (not an independently verified accounting)."
    },
    {
      "id": "cbc-countdown-2026",
      "title": "Education unions serve notice to bargain, begin countdown for contract talks with province",
      "type": "news-media",
      "tier": "tier-2",
      "url": "https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/education-contract-talks-countdown-ontario-9.7222023",
      "publisher": "CBC News",
      "publicationDate": "2026-06-03",
      "retrievalDate": "2026-08-04",
      "notes": "Source for the bargaining countdown following notice to bargain."
    },
    {
      "id": "sbcba-2014",
      "title": "School Boards Collective Bargaining Act, 2014, S.O. 2014, c. 5",
      "type": "ontario-government",
      "tier": "tier-1",
      "url": "https://www.canlii.org/en/on/laws/stat/so-2014-c-5/latest/so-2014-c-5.html",
      "publisher": "CanLII",
      "publicationDate": "2014",
      "retrievalDate": "2026-08-04",
      "notes": "The statute governing two-tier central and local bargaining in Ontario school boards, including the Crown’s role and the conciliation route into a lawful strike position."
    },
    {
      "id": "ohrc-strikes-factsheet",
      "title": "Equal access to education for students with disabilities during strikes (fact sheet)",
      "type": "ontario-government",
      "tier": "tier-1",
      "url": "https://www.ohrc.on.ca/en/equal-access-education-students-disabilities-during-strikes-fact-sheet",
      "publisher": "Ontario Human Rights Commission",
      "retrievalDate": "2026-08-04",
      "notes": "The governing human-rights guidance for work stoppages involving educational assistants. Sets out the shared duty on government, school boards and unions to put contingency plans in place, and confirms that interference with a collective agreement does not constitute undue hardship."
    },
    {
      "id": "osbcu-update-6",
      "title": "OSBCU 2026 Central Bargaining Update #6",
      "type": "advocacy-org",
      "tier": "tier-2",
      "url": "https://osbcu.ca/2026/08/06/osbcu-2026-central-bargaining-update-6/",
      "publisher": "Ontario School Board Council of Unions",
      "publicationDate": "2026-08-06",
      "retrievalDate": "2026-08-12",
      "notes": "Source for the August 6 filing of the formal OLRB scope application (\"today we filed an application with the Ontario Labour Relations Board (OLRB) asking it to determine which issues belong within the scope of central bargaining\"), for OSBCU’s statement that it cannot say how long the OLRB process will take, and for OSBCU’s account of the employer’s condition for returning to the table. Also the source for locals being asked to sign strike pledges - a pledge is not a strike vote, and no strike vote is reported."
    },
    {
      "id": "osbcu-letter-crown-cea",
      "title": "Letter to the Crown and CEA re: Request to commence central bargaining on agreed central scope items",
      "type": "advocacy-org",
      "tier": "tier-2",
      "url": "https://osbcu.ca/news/",
      "publisher": "Ontario School Board Council of Unions",
      "publicationDate": "2026-08-06",
      "retrievalDate": "2026-08-12",
      "notes": "OSBCU president Joe Tigani’s written request that bargaining proceed on items both sides already agree are central, while the OLRB decides the disputed items. Indexed on the OSBCU news listing."
    },
    {
      "id": "osstf-early-bargaining-2026",
      "title": "Ontario's Education Unions Call for an Early Start to Bargaining to Best Support Students and Families",
      "type": "advocacy-org",
      "tier": "tier-2",
      "url": "https://www.osstf.on.ca/en-CA/news/ontario-s-education-unions-call-for-early-start-to-bargaining-to-best-support-students-families.aspx",
      "publisher": "Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation",
      "publicationDate": "2026-03-02",
      "retrievalDate": "2026-08-12",
      "notes": "OSSTF mirror of the March 2 joint call, and the source for the statement that the Minister of Education has authority to allow bargaining to begin up to 180 days before the agreements expire."
    },
    {
      "id": "ohrc-code",
      "title": "Human Rights Code, R.S.O. 1990, c. H.19",
      "type": "ontario-government",
      "tier": "tier-1",
      "url": "https://www.ontario.ca/laws/statute/90h19",
      "publisher": "Government of Ontario",
      "retrievalDate": "2026-08-04",
      "notes": "Section 1 (equal treatment in services, including education) and section 17 (duty to accommodate)."
    },
    {
      "id": "aefo-bargaining-2026",
      "title": "Négociations 2026 - Personnel enseignant régulier et suppléant",
      "type": "advocacy-org",
      "tier": "tier-2",
      "url": "https://aefo.on.ca/negos-personnel-enseignant/",
      "publisher": "Association des enseignantes et des enseignants franco-ontariens",
      "retrievalDate": "2026-08-30",
      "notes": "AEFO public bargaining-status page. Confirms a temporary pause while the Ontario Labour Relations Board decides the central-versus-local scope question, and states that current working conditions remain in place until a new collective agreement is signed."
    },
    {
      "id": "bill-101-2026",
      "title": "Putting Student Achievement First Act, 2026, S.O. 2026, c. 4",
      "type": "ontario-government",
      "tier": "tier-1",
      "url": "https://www.ola.org/en/legislative-business/bills/parliament-44/session-1/bill-101",
      "publisher": "Legislative Assembly of Ontario",
      "publicationDate": "2026",
      "retrievalDate": "2026-08-30",
      "notes": "Official enacted text and status. Bill 101 received Royal Assent as S.O. 2026, c. 4. It changes the employer bargaining agency for English public and Catholic boards to the Council of Ontario Directors of Education and adds provisions limiting personal liability, causes of action and remedies in specified circumstances. The enacted text preserves judicial review and constitutional remedies in specified provisions and preserves Crown vicarious liability under section 17.2."
    },
    {
      "id": "bill-101-hansard-2026-04-14",
      "title": "Hansard Transcript, April 14, 2026",
      "type": "ontario-government",
      "tier": "tier-1",
      "url": "https://www.ola.org/en/legislative-business/house-documents/parliament-44/session-1/2026-04-14/hansard",
      "publisher": "Legislative Assembly of Ontario",
      "publicationDate": "2026-04-14",
      "retrievalDate": "2026-08-30",
      "notes": "Official record of Opposition Leader and Davenport MPP Marit Stiles asking why the Minister of Education needed immunity in Bill 101, and the Minister describing the restructuring of employer-side bargaining."
    },
    {
      "id": "bill-101-committee-2026-04-30",
      "title": "Standing Committee on Social Policy Transcript, April 30, 2026",
      "type": "ontario-government",
      "tier": "tier-1",
      "url": "https://www.ola.org/en/legislative-business/committees/social-policy/parliament-44/transcripts/committee-transcript-2026-apr-30",
      "publisher": "Legislative Assembly of Ontario",
      "publicationDate": "2026-04-30",
      "retrievalDate": "2026-08-30",
      "notes": "Official clause-by-clause record. MPP Chandra Pasma challenged the accountability and liability provisions and objected to boards covering supervisor legal expenses, including for criminal proceedings."
    }
  ],
  "lastUpdated": "2026-08-30",
  "nextReview": "2026-09-06"
}