Mediation between the Ontario government and education workers has collapsed, as union representatives said it is "very likely" that there will be a strike next month. The negotiating committee stated in a statement released Wednesday afternoon that "the parties are very far apart." Laura Walton, chair of the union council at the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) in Ontario, also said in a press conference: "Unfortunately, there has been no movement from the Ford government towards accepting our reasonable, affordable, and very necessary proposals for student success." The mediator also requested that both sides resume negotiations on November 1, two days before the union is legally able to take job action. Additionally, more than 50,000 trustees, early childhood educators, and school administrative staff working in public school boards across the province have been without a collective agreement since August 4, and in early October, CUPE announced that its members voted 96.5 percent in favor of leaving work if an agreement could not be reached. The main point of disagreement was the salary, as the Ontario government offered education workers earning less than $40,000 annually a 2 percent wage increase, while all other workers were offered a 1.25 percent increase. Meanwhile, CUPE argues that employees should be granted a $3.25 per hour raise – or an annual increase of about 11.7 percent – and they argue that they deserve higher increases because the provincial government limited wage increases over the past three years, and the cost of living in the province has risen significantly due to inflation. In the same context, on November 3, the union became legally able to strike or launch a "work to rule" campaign. Walton confirmed that this does not mean a strike will be necessary on that day. The union still must provide five days' notice before taking any job action; however, Walton indicated that it is "very possible" that the strategy would be a full strike rather than a partial withdrawal of services. The last time education workers negotiated their collective agreements in 2019, the collapse of mediation led to a "work to rule" campaign where support staff carried out partial service withdrawals. A tentative agreement was reached after the union issued a province-wide strike notice. In a statement, Education Minister Stephen Lecce described his government’s offer as "reasonable" and said the government is looking for the union to present a "cost-effective and fair" compromise more so than the current offer on the table. Additionally, Lecce told CTV News Toronto: "We still have more dates, and we can still reach an agreement. We want the union to come to the negotiating table with something cost-effective and fair that keeps children in school." At the same time, Lecce did not provide examples of how the government is conceding at the bargaining table, nor did he confirm whether the government will impose a contract or introduce legislation to return to work to ensure staff remain on the job. It appears the government recognizes that these negotiations could set the standard for bargaining when teachers come to the table afterward. Earlier this month, Premier Doug Ford sent a message to education workers stating "my hands will not be tied" in negotiations, adding that he will not "budge" on keeping classrooms free from disruption.