Wednesday marked the first so-called ‘Wynne Wednesday’ – a midweek day during which members of the Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario wore T-shirts and badges with their union’s logo, and didn’t take part in extracurricular activities.
It’s part of an enhanced job action program, which began earlier this week.
In addition to the Wednesday-specific measures, public elementary teachers are no long taking part in class trips or parent-teacher meetings as their union remains without a contract.
Teachers have also stopped filling in for absent colleagues, and threatened to begin one-day rotating strikes.
At Jean Steckle Public School in Kitchener’s south end, parents said Wednesday they haven’t noticed any significant impacts on their teachers due to the job action.
“It seems like education’s moving forward as usual,” said Jeremy Hutchings.
“I think the teachers have it well in hand.”
One of the bigger impacts of the job action could occur next week, when the second ‘Wynne Wednesday’ aligns with the day most schools have set aside for Terry Fox Run events.
Marty Deacon, the Waterloo Region District School Board’s superintendent of communication and engagement, says individual schools’ runs could be affected in different ways.
Factors that go into those decisions, she said, include the level of parent involvement in the school’s run, and whether it takes place entirely on or partially off school property.
Some schools may hold assemblies to share the story of Terry Fox rather than have students walk or run.
“We have certainly been in touch with our administrators, and are working with our schools,” she said.
Greg Weiler, who leads the Waterloo Region chapter of ETFO, says any runs that occur during normal school hours will be able to take place as usual.
“Anything that happens during instructional time is completely unaffected,” he said in an interview.
“A school may make a decision to postpone (the run) and do it at a later time if they wish, but I think a number of schools will continue to go ahead.”
