Ontario teachers shocked by ex-union head’s jump to Liberals

Ken Coran, former president of Ontario Secondary School Teachers' Federation, plans to run for the Liberals in a London byelection. The news has shocked from high school teachers, still stinging from tense negotations with the Liberal government.

High school teachers still stinging after a year-long battle with the provincial government say they feel betrayed by their former union president’s jump to the Liberals, and they demand that their new union leader condemn the move.

Ken Coran, former president of the Ontario Secondary School Teachers Federation, announced last week he will run for the Grits in the London West byelection. The news shocked many teachers, who finally ratified a contract in April after a lengthy stand-off with the Liberal government.

“You can’t slap somebody in the face with one hand and turn around and shake their other hand,” said Toronto teacher Katia Berdichevsky. “I find it unbelievably disconcerting that this person who has been telling us to stay strong and rally on all of a sudden turns coats.”  (more...)

Ontario teachers shocked by ex-union head’s jump to Liberals