Secondary School teachers in Huron and Perth Counties are standing by their union president, Ken Coran, in trashing the McGuinty government for passing Bill 115.

The Putting Students First Act cleared the minority legislature on Tuesday with Liberal and Tory support.

The legislation imposes a wage-freeze, permanently reduces the number of sick days and bans strikes and lockouts for two years.

Ontario Secondary School Teachers Federation local representative Jeff Denys says the whole process was an unnecessary charade with educators made out as scapegoats.

He says qualification upgrades and experience increments are still allowed under Bill 115, even though the government is screaming about how much the provisions cost.

Mary Jane Karkheck says her members were never planning strike action.

Jeff Denys refutes the argument that salary rates would rollover if they weren't rolled back.

The teachers' rep maintains the previous agreement had no built-in percentage increase in its final year.

He expects his Union will announce a court challenge to Bill 115 as early as today.

Mary Jane Karkheck -- who represents OSSTF Support Staff -- says her division intends to negotiate its local agreement with the Avon Maitland District School Board despite the provincial impasse.

Neither representative speculated on symbolic job action or any organized boycott of extra-curricular activities.

Karkheck thinks those decisions will be left up to individual members.

Denys says many of his colleagues saw the government action coming and opted for retirement over the past summer.

One Ontario teachers union says teachers should refuse to attend school meetings on Mondays and they are calling the action McGuinty Mondays.

Another union wants teachers to stop coaching sports teams.