Ontario teachers have imposed a surcharge to cover Bill 124

Public high school and elementary school teachers will receive additional retroactive pay raises to offset limited salaries under legislation known as Bill 124.

When the Ontario Federation of Elementary Teachers and the Ontario Secondary Teachers Federation reached new contracts with the provincial government, they left some issues to be decided by an arbitrator.

Teachers and the government agreed to pay an additional 0.75 percent in each of the first two years of the previous contract to cover lost wages under Bill 124, but the amount in the third year was left to arbitration.

The unions announced today that an arbitrator awarded 2.75 percent for the third year under Bill 124, in addition to the one percent annual increase that was part of the previous contract.

This law limited the salary increase of public sector employees to one percent per year for three years.

An Ontario court ruled it unconstitutional, ruling that it infringed on workers' rights to freedom of association and collective bargaining.

The government has appealed and the appeals court is expected to rule on Monday.