TORONTO, Ont. – The three unions representing Ontario teachers and other educations workers have vowed to fight proposed legislation — which imposes new teachers contracts — all the way to the Supreme Court of Canada.

The Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario (ETFO), the Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation (OSSTF) and Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) Ontario said they want a negotiated deal, not one imposed by the province.

The unions held a news conference, Thursday, and said proposed Liberal legislation is not about putting students first, but finances first.

Fred Hahn, president of CUPE Ontario, said the Liberal government has manufactured a crisis to help them win upcoming byelections.

He said the Liberals can’t say they’re protecting education when they’re taking out so much money from the system.

“Money gone is money gone. A cut is a cut, even in McGuinty math,” Hahn said.

ETFO president Sam Hammond said the proposed legislation strips away collective bargaining rights. He said it’s unnecessary and erodes the rights of all public sector workers.

Meanwhile, OSSTF president Ken Coran said they plan on fighting this all the way to the Supreme Court.

“This legislation is not necessary, as has been said repeatedly. There was never any cause of concern that the schools would not open in September,” Coran said.

If passed, the new bill would force contracts on teachers that would rein in wages and cut benefits, which the governing Liberals said will help them eliminate a $15-billion deficit.

It would impose terms that mirror the framework agreement the government reached with English Catholic teachers, including three unpaid days off and elimination of the banking of sick days that can be cashed out at retirement.

The Liberals need the help of at least one of the opposition parties on the proposed bill, which would also ban lockouts and strikes.

Two unions representing Francophone teachers and other school support workers have accepted the deal.

School boards — the employers — still have to sign local contracts with teachers and other education workers. The government has given them until the end of the month to do so, or have a deal forced on them through legislation.

The Liberals insist it must be done before Sept. 1 to ensure old contracts don’t automatically roll over, which the cash-strapped province can’t afford.

Three unions representing the thousands of teachers and educational workers are planning to hold a day of protest on Tuesday at noon, at Queen’s Park.