CUPE Fires the First Salvo in Ontario's Education Showdown

Students got back to class this week in Ontario with little or no drama on the labour front. But it was clear, before the week was over, that the Doug Ford Tories will be facing push back from unions representing workers in the education sector. CUPE is the first to light a slow burn fuse, putting the province on notice. The union represents some 55 thousand education workers across the province and has requested a "no board notice" which starts the clock ticking down to job action that could begin September 23, 2019. So far, the teachers unions are keeping their powder dry but are already making it clear they're not satisfied with the progress, or lack thereof, at the bargaining table. John Wright, from DART C-Suite Communicators, says this may be a sign that the various public sector unions, (not just the education unions) are prepping a coordinated effort to take on the province. But is it possible for the unions to overplay their hand, creating chaos in the classroom? How patient will the Ford government be? It's shaping up to be a slow burn autumn in Ontario that could end with a bang in the new year.