Parents scramble as school closures loom amid educational workers' strike action

Parents are scrambling to find childcare accommodations after receiving notice that educational workers in Ontario are set to strike on Monday, leaving the door open to school closures across the province.

"For us, it doesn't make a difference if the school is closed or not," said Sarah Farrants, the mother of a three-year-old with autism. "If an [educational assistant] is not working, then my son can't be in school."

On Wednesday, CUPE, the union representing more than 50,000 educational workers in Ontario including educational assistants (EAs), early childhood educators (ECEs) and clerical staff and custodians, announced that workers are prepared to walk off the job.

Contract talks with the province have hit a stallwith very few hopes ofreaching a deal, CUPE said.

The union has said it willreturn to the bargaining table with the province and the Council of Trustees' Association on Friday afternoon in an attempt to avoid a labour disruption.

However, some schools across the province have decided to close next week in order to ensure student safety.

In London, the Thames Valley District School Board (TVDSB) and the London District Catholic School Board (LDCSB) both say they are examining the impact a strike will have on school operations.

"We have not yet made a final decision on school closures for next Monday," Jeff Pratt, the Associate Director of TVDSB, told CBC News.

The board is set to come to a decision on Friday morning.

"We are definitely strongly encouraging parents and guardians to seek out alternate arrangements for students next week," Pratt added.

He saidthat ever since the work-to-rule campaign started this week, schools have felt the impact of the lack of criticalwork performed byeducational workers.

"Our custodial staff has been directed not to clean gymnasiums, school cafeterias and cubbies. Our secretarial staff isn't handling money. ... It's really impacted day-to-day operations."

If a strike occurs, other pivotal tasks such as supervisingkindergarten classes andproviding support to children with special needswon't happen.

"It would be very difficult to safely operate schools with no CUPE staff in place," Prattadded.

This rings true for Farrants, whose child Masonwon't be able to go to school without an EAthere to help him.

Everyday, Masonarrives at school andmeets thetwo educational assistants for his classroom who guide him through the day and ensure hissafety.

"His brain works differently. ... He doesn't process safety concerns the same way we do, so he doesn't understand that if he wanders into a parking lot, he could get hit by a car," Farrants said.

"That EAis the reason I don't fear for my child's life when he walks through those doors to go to school," she noted.

"They're the reason I can go to work because, with the cuts to the autism program, therapy is expensive and I have to work to pay for that therapy."

Seeking 'alternate arrangements' not simple

While both local school boards are encouraging parents to have a backup plan for childcare in case schools are closed,Farrantssaid the solution is not as simple for parents of children with special needs.

"It's not a matter of calling the daycare down the street and saying, 'hey, can you take my child for the week?'"

Farrantssaid there are a number of therapy sessions and special care thather son can only receiveat school.

"There's no way a daycare can get all of that ready in two business days. And he needs that to be successful," she added.

Farrants said she'll have to ask her parents to take care of Mason or even take time off work herself.

What about the teachers?

Craig Smith, the president of the Elementary Teachers' Federation of Ontario,said that for now, teachers will be at school on Monday as normal.

"We are not in a legal strike position," he said."We are prepared to report to work on Monday and proceed from there."

Smith added that in the case of a strike, teacherswill engage in conversations with their CUPE colleagues as well as with human resources to ensure they enter the school, while still respectingthe picket line.

"We honour their picket line," he said."We will certainly be encouraging our members to show support by joining the line before and after work."

While this is the plan for now, Smith says there are many uncertainties surrounding teachers' work if CUPE members strike.