Our Fight Continues. Our Power Grows. We're Letting the Ford Government Know We Won't Back Down.

Our power and presence at Queen’s Park on February 21, as we picketed with our ETFO, OSSTF, OECTA, and AEFO colleagues, together, joined by our parents and community allies, was awe-inspiring.
As ETT President, on behalf of the ETT Executive and ETFO, I would like to convey my deepest thanks to our Regional Organizers, Stewards, Picket Captains, and rank-and-file members for your continued display of strength, solidarity, and leadership. Our strike actions, from Queen’s Park to the Ministry of Education to PC MPP constituency offices to schools across Toronto, are sending a clear message to Doug Ford and the PC government that we will not tolerate cuts to our public education system that hurt kids.
The Ford government’s attempts to spin our actions have been firmly rejected by Ontarians. Our outreach and organizing is making the difference. Our parents and families in our communities know where we stand: on the side of our students, fighting for better learning and working conditions and for the schools our students deserve.
We won’t back down, and, as we launch Phase 6 of our Work-to-Rule Strike Action, we will continue to apply pressure to the Ford government and to MPPs and School Board Trustees.
As Phase 6 begins, it is critical to emphasize the importance of the many pieces of this new phase. This phase is designed to provide a unique level of pressure to school board administrators and to trustee and government representatives.
While you may not be engaging in a full withdrawal of services as part of this phase, your Phase 6 lobbying efforts will send a very powerful message to the government and school boards that we are united in our fight.
Make no mistake – there is strength in our numbers and 11,000 letters are extremely powerful tools in this process.
A continued presence outside of your school for 20 minutes per week is an important visual reminder that we have not backed down.
The first week of our pickets outside schools will feature members’ original signs and slogans. For the second week, ETT will provide Stewards with a new flyer to distribute.
Social media messaging and reaching out to your friends and family members to join this fight can and will make a difference.
Let’s continue this fight together – united, inclusive, strong!
In Solidarity,
Joy Lachica
ETT President

ETT President Joy Lachica on the picket line at Queen’s Park.
Featured image courtesy of Ian Lawrence (ianlawrencephotography.com, @ianlawrencephotography).