'There was a lot of chaos': London, Ont. parents relieved as kids go back to class

After a weekend of making contingency plans, there is relief among parents after education workers announced a return to work for Tuesday.

"Everybody just wanted some kind of plan for the week," says Julie Mytka, owner of Sound in Motion, a music and dance studio in northeast London. "There was a lot of chaos."

Many parents needed to find alternate care options for their kids Friday, when members of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) walked off the job amid a labour dispute with the province.

One of those options was Sound in Motion. The studio normally offers after school and weekend programming for kids, but after gauging interest among parents over the weekend, opted to offer a summer camp-type service this week.

CUPE's demonstrations continued Monday, but after the provincial government announced it would repeal legislation imposing a contract and banning the union's right to strike, CUPE said it would return to work — and the bargaining table.

Kids enjoy a sing-a-long at Sound in Motion on Nov. 7, 2022 in London, Ont., while schools were closed. (Carlyle Fiset/CTV News London)

That turned Sound in Motion's contingency plan into a one day-only operation.

"I've been on call, if need be," says Janice Watterworth, who dropped off her grandchild at Sound in Motion on Monday. "I'm really happy that they're able to get back to school. Get back to their friends, get back to the curriculum, and get back to normal."

"They've already missed the past couple years with COVID," adds Avni Muslija, a parent with kids in elementary school. "They've missed a lot, and we know they're a little bit behind...It's very challenging."

"They all wanna be back at school," says Dawn Greene, a grandparent. "They don't like staying at home. They've been home long enough."

Mytka adds, "The disruption was really not something anybody was feeling they could manage."

If negotiations go off the rails again, and the picket lines pick back up, she says Sound in Motion will be able to help support parents if they need.