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The likelihood that Ontario teachers and other education workers will head back to school in September with new contracts settled appears increasingly remote.

Ontario Education Minister Stephen Lecce has urged school boards and unions to reach new deals as quickly as possible to replace collective agreements that expire at the end of August.

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But negotiations with the union representing public high school teachers have stalled, talks with public elementary school teachers are still in the preliminary stages and leaders of a union representing many non-teaching staff plan a strike vote on Aug. 11.

Bargaining is likely to be difficult with all the unions that represent employees at Ontario school boards, from teachers to custodians and office staff.

Education unions have fiercely opposed the government’s changes to education, including cuts to per-pupil grants and some programs, larger classes in grades 4 to 12 and mandatory online courses for high school students.