TORONTO, Ont. – Premier Dalton McGuinty is appealing to Ontario teachers not to withdraw from extracurricular activities because they’re angry with the government over legislation that imposes a new contract on them.

McGuinty admits teachers and the government have hit what he calls “a bit of a rough patch,” but said he can’t accept any decision by teachers to stop supervising clubs and teams after class.

He said extracurricular activities are “part and parcel of what kids have come to expect” from schools.

McGuinty also said he’s convinced teachers, “in their heart of hearts,” understand that after class clubs are really important to students and their families.

Unions representing about 191,000 teachers and other education workers say the legislation passed Tuesday with the support of the Conservatives strips workers of their constitutional rights in the name of fiscal restraint.

The Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation is calling on its 60,000 thousand members not to volunteer today for any extracurricular activities to protest the Liberals’ legislation.

The minority Liberals argue the legislation is needed to help them eliminate a $15-billion deficit, and warns they will legislate a wage freeze for all 1.3 million public sector workers if they can’t reach agreements through negotiations.