EMSB, Lester B. Pearson teachers approve 3 more strike days

Teachers with the English Montreal School Boardand Lester B. Pearson School Boardvotedtoday in favour of threemore strike days.

The Montreal Teachers Association, the union representing about2,300EMSB teachers,saidthe strike dates will be determined later.

The MTA vote won by a margin of 76 per cent in favour of the three strike days.

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The Pearson Teachers Union, which represents 3,000 full-time, part-timeand substitute teachers, also voted 76 per cent in favour of the additional strike days thisafternoon.

The teachers represented by both unionshave been without a contract since April.

Tuesday's votes came as teachers in both the EMSB and Lester B. Pearson School Boardtook to the picket lines on Tuesdayfor a third day of strikes since September.

The three additional days bringthe total approvedstrike days to six.

The unions are protestingagainst lagging contract talks with the provincial government, where points of contention include increasing class sizes and lowering support services for students with special needs.

"Although the government has adjusted some of its demands, we have still not reached a point where they will ensure that all the provisions that protect class sizes and support for special needs students remain," PeterSutherland, president of the Montreal Teachers Association, said in a news release on Tuesday.

"The current government salary offer and the detrimental changes to our pension plan are also of concern to teachers."