TORONTO – The Liberal government is giving Ontario school boards one month to reach new contracts with teachers or it will pass legislation.

The government was only able to reach a contract with the Ontario English Catholic Teachers’ Association, and wants trustees to use that deal as a basis to reach local contracts by August 31st.
   
Education Minister Laurel Broten says boards will have to do what her government could not do and convince the teachers’ unions to accept a pay freeze.
   
She says if they won’t, or can’t, negotiate deals, the province will introduce legislation.
   
Broten refuses to say if the threatened legislation would impose the Catholic teachers’ agreement on other unions or when it could be introduced.
   
The Elementary Teachers’ Federation says Broten’s “unwarranted threats” are not helpful, and says she’s being unrealistic expecting deals in 30 days that the province couldn’t reach in six months.
   
Union president Sam Hammond accuses Broten of misleading parents about the possibility of the school year not starting on time, saying no strike votes will be held until after classes have resumed.