The Canadian Union of Public Employees announced on Monday that education workers in Ontario, such as custodians, early childhood educators, and school administration staff, voted 96.5 percent in favor of striking.

Laura Walton, chair of the Ontario School Board Council of Unions in CUPE, said the bargaining team can now return to the table with a clear signal of the level of member support for CUPE's proposals.

"The message is that cuts in education are unacceptable, and there is an urgent need for more frontline education staff so that students succeed, and it is time to significantly increase our wages. We are the lowest-paid education workers earning an average of $39,000 a year," she said at a press conference on Monday.

"No one wants to strike, especially education workers who are paid less in Ontario, but education workers have said very clearly, if this government does not budge, we are ready to strike for a contract that is good for students, families, and workers."

More than 80 percent of its 55,000 education worker members voted over 10 days, CUPE said.

The union set its next bargaining dates with the government for Thursday and Friday, October 17 and 18.

Education Minister Stephen Lecce said in this context that the results were not surprising, given the history of education unions voting for strikes, but it was nevertheless "frustrating."

The government offered 2 percent annual increases for workers earning less than $40,000 and 1.25 percent for all other workers, while CUPE is seeking annual increases of 11.7 percent.

Walton said the government's offer amounts to an additional $800 a year for the average worker.

The government noted that CUPE is also requesting five additional paid days before the school year begins, 30 minutes of paid preparation time each day, and an increase in overtime pay from 1.5 times to 2 times.

In contrast, opposition parties in Ontario blamed the looming potential strike on the feet of the government, which they say refuses to guarantee adequate services in schools.