Ontario – Teachers will not be permitted to strike under the proposed legislation enacted by Dalton McGuinty to impose a two year wage freeze. Teachers must negotiate deals that do not include pay increases.  The reason for this is in order to make up an almost $15 million waste of taxpayer money.

This wage freeze could affect students at Wilfrid Laurier University in the Concurrent Education program. As Con Ed. students graduate this year, they will find that it may be even harder to find a job. If wages cannot increase, then budgets will not always be available to hire new teachers.

Many students have commented already that they are worried they will not be able to find a job quickly enough or at all, especially one that is in their field of study.

One student in Concurrent Education said, “I understand where they are coming from with the pay freeze because it will take away the less dedicated teachers and make room for new ones that want to be in that profession but I want to be able to afford to live and have a home and stuff.”

Teachers are frustrated at the idea of a wage freeze and although it is unfair it is not the students’ fault. Hopefully they remember this for future report cards. It was mentioned in the news a few weeks ago that some teachers have been putting forth the bare minimum as their way of ‘getting back’ at the government.

This legislation is still up for debate but has not and will not be taken off the table as an option for making money back. The ultimate decision will be made by September 1, 2013.

This agreement would be similar to the contract English Catholic School Board teachers agreed to early this year.