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Leaders from the union representing 55,000 workers at Ontario’s school boards have voted in favour of job action.

It’s just a step in the bargaining process and doesn’t mean there will be a labour disruption after students head back to school.

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But it’s still a warning sign as the province’s education unions bargain for new contracts to replace ones expiring at the end of August.

Unions have fiercely opposed the provincial government’s changes to education, including cuts to some programs, larger classes in grades 4 to 12 and mandatory online courses in high schools. Negotiations are expected to be difficult.

Leaders of the education council of the Canadian Union of Public Employees voted Sunday to support job action. The motion didn’t specify what that could include, but “nothing has been ruled out,” said spokesperson Mary Unan. Typical job actions include rotating strikes, full strikes or work-to-rules.