Ontario high-school teachers step up job action, cancel extra-curricular activities

Ontario's high-school teachers are stepping up their job action, signalling that they won't participate in sports clubs or extra-curricular activities.

Union leaders met Monday and stopped short of endorsing a plan to join their elementary colleagues in walk-outs scheduled for the last two weeks before the Christmas holidays.

Ken Coran, president of the Ontario Secondary School Teachers' Federation, said there was pressure from some members to join their elementary-school counterparts. But he said that OSSTF members decided to keep student in the classroom and continue with curriculum. He said that there will be a vote on a political protest the week of Dec. 17, if the government blocks their job action.

High-schools at almost all boards across the province are in a legal strike position, but have limited their job action up until now to administrative duties and supervision outside the classroom.