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Leaders of the union representing early childhood educators plan to reach out to teachers’ unions immediately to try to work out differences over a provincial government plan to use more early childhood educators in schools.
On Monday, the McGuinty government announced a revamp of the approach to how the school system deals with four and five year olds.
The teachers' unions immediately announced opposition to the plan, and one said they were contemplating suing the government because they believed parts of its plan, particularly using more early childhood educators in schools, violates their collective agreements.
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Based on a report by child-care expert Charles Pascal, under the new plan schools would function as a day care/education facility from 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. 50 weeks per year with care and education being provided by a 50-50 mix of early childhood educators and teachers.
The Canadian Union of Public Employees represents the bulk of early childhood educators in Ontario and union president Sid Ryan said he’s members fully support the government’s plans.
He said he plans to contact teachers unions immediately and get started on talks aimed at gaining the teachers' support for the new approach.
“We’ll meet with them and work something out we can both support,” he said. “This is a major step forward when it comes to getting a universal day care program, and we need to make sure it works.”
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- reprinted from the Ottawa Citizen