Teachers’ union leaders are holding parents and students “hostage,” Ontario Premier Doug Ford said Sunday, as job action by all four major teachers’ unions continues with more strikes slated for this week across the province.

Ford, who made a surprise visit to Wiarton Willie’s Groundhog Day prediction ceremony, said parents and the government are losing patience with the ongoing job action.

“Everywhere I’m going, people say ‘don’t buckle to the teachers.’ Keep in mind, it’s $3 billion in extra dollars they’re asking for,” he said in a brief scrum with reporters.

“This is all about lining the pockets of the unions – not protecting our children – it’s about lining the pockets of our unions. Not the teachers, but the unions. They have to get back to the classroom, bottom line.”

He said he hopes the stalemate in talks will end “very quickly.

“We’re going to work hard getting a deal,” he said.

A small group of protesters greeted Ford at the prediction ceremony. They held flags and signs that said “No cuts to education,” while others had homemade signs, with one reading “Don’t let Doug see his shadow – We don’t want six more weeks of cuts.”

All four of the province’s major teachers’ unions are in a staredown over new contracts with the province and the sides remain far apart.

They have each launched work-to-rule campaigns, while the Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario, Ontario Secondary Schools Teachers’ Federation and the Ontario English Catholic Teachers’ Association have staged one-day walkouts.

The province has said the main sticking point in the dispute is salaries. Education Minister Stephen Lecce has said the unions are seeking two per cent wage increases. The province has passed legislation capping public sector pay increases to one per cent per year.

The unions says issues like class sizes, e-learning and support for special needs students are the main issues, not wages.

The ETFO and OECTA are both planning to hold more strikes this week.

The Bluewater District School Board said Friday that “in the absence of a collective agreement being reached between the ETFO and the provincial government,” ETFO members will be holding a rotating one-day strike impacting the Bluewater District School Board Monday and a province-wide strike scheduled Thursday. The board’s schools will be closed to elementary students only on both days.

ETFO and the province were back at the bargaining table late last week.

All schools with the Bruce-Grey Catholic District School Board are to close Tuesday after the OECTA announced that its approximately 45,000 members would be taking part in a second province-wide one-day walkout.

Ford was also asked by reporters about the Wiarton Willie Festival.

The premier said he loves coming to Wiarton for Willie’s prediction ceremony. He said he would like to visit the town in the summer.

He also showed up at the 2019 prediction. Ford said he’s been told that he’s the first premier in history to take part in the annual event.

When he was called to the stage by South Bruce Peninsula Mayor Janice Jackson, Ford received a warm reception from the crowd who cheered his appearance.

He told reporters after that it’s important for him to visit Wiarton and other rural areas to meet people.

“I love the people up in the rural areas and know that they have a loud voice at Queen’s Park and they have a great representative, Bill Walker,” he said.