KITCHENER -- Thousands of teachers on picket lines in Ontario, also means thousands of cups of coffee are being consumed. Many of those cups of joe, dropped off by supporters.
“Parents stopping by dropping stuff off, lots of honks, students stopping by saying we know you don’t want to be here but thank you for what you’re doing I know you guys work hard,” said , secondary teacher Breeana Hureau.
After weeks of different education unions holding one-day strikes and picket lines, members of the Waterloo Catholic Teachers Federation say they are feeling the love from the public.
“It’s just been crazy in the number of supporters that honk that beep that wave and then went to walk with us it’s been really, really wonderful,” said Patrick Etmanski, local president of the Ontario English Catholic Teachers Association.
Local businesses are jumping in on the action too.
A Kitchener cafe and child playground posted to social media that if you buy a teacher a coffee, they’ll double the contribution.
Play A Latte Café handing out a total of 180 warm coffees to members picketing at King and Weber on Tuesday.
“A warm cup of coffee goes along way. Our customers actually send messages on the cups so we wrote them down so it’s nice for them to read the support that they’re getting from our customer base and just the community in general,” Ronak Patel from Play A Latte Café.
Catholic teachers currently stand without a contract, the same position as their elementary and secondary partners.
Education Minister Stephen Lecce has previously said the unions are prioritizing salary over protecting the education system.
As the picket lines continue, Waterloo catholic teachers are now asking that supporters drop off donations for local food banks.
Any food donations dropped off to picket lines will be kept here in the community.
Play A Latte Café says they will be continuing their Coffee for Educators programs later this week.
