Speaking at a news conference Tuesday morning, Ford said he could not go into detail about what the new offer entails, but said it was “improved…especially for lower-income workers.”
The prime minister also told reporters that he was “past the battle stage” with the union, adding that he “would like to see the negotiations finished by the end of the week.”
“I don’t want to fight. I just want the kids in school. That’s what I want to do,” he said.
The comments come as schools reopened after a two-day strike by the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), which has about 55,000 members.
Negotiations with the province reached an impasse on November 30, with CUPE workers threatening to strike and the government refusing to budge until it took that threat off the table.
The next day, the Ford government introduced Bill 28, which uses the non-applicability clause to override the Charter of Rights and Freedoms to force a contract on workers.
The legislation also made it illegal to strike and imposed heavy fines on people who took part in any work action.
Ford has promised to scrap the bill on November 14 if CUPE workers end their strikes and return to the table.  Ford said he expected the repeal to pass “quickly” with the support of opposition parties.
Negotiations are expected to resume on Tuesday morning.  However, the two parties have yet to come to an agreement on the contentious issue of wages.
CUPE had asked for an annual wage increase of 11.7 per cent a year, but last week said their latest offer was about half of what was originally proposed.
The government, meanwhile, has put an annual wage increase of 2.5 percent for those making less than $43,000 and 1.5 percent for all other employees on the table.
That wage increase was locked in using House Bill 28 last week.
Speaking to CP24 Tuesday morning, CUPE’s Ontario Council of School Board Unions president said they are entering negotiations with an “open mind and a clear head.”
“I hope the government and employers do exactly the same thing,” said Laura Walton.
Walton indicated that before anything is agreed upon, the association wants to see Bill 28 repealed.
“Students are in class today, people should be at Queen’s Park too.”


USE OF EXCLUDED NOT “HAMMER” CLAUSE: FORD 
Speaking to reporters, the prime minister dismissed the idea that he was ready to do battle with education support workers last week, using the extension clause to pass Bill 28.
“I never wanted to fight in the first place, but CUPE got up and left the table.  What else do I have?’  he said.
“I wouldn’t call it a sledgehammer.  I call it a tool – similar to having a tool and their big sledgehammer striking.  So this is even more dangerous than any tool I’ve ever owned.”
Ontario’s Official Opposition, meanwhile, questioned why MPPs weren’t recalled to the legislature early to deal with Bill 28.
Members of provincial parliament are not in session in the legislature this week and are scheduled to return on November 14.
“We think we’re going to have to come back this week,” said interim NDP leader Peter Tabuns.
“We are willing to come tomorrow.  We are willing to come at midnight tonight.  When I spoke to CUPE, they understood that this would be sorted very quickly.  They were surprised it wasn’t finished until the following week.”
Tabuns added that he hopes to see the bill in advance to ensure “there are no surprises.”
CUPE members have been without a collective agreement since August 31.
The union is still in a legal position to strike but will have to give five days’ notice of any further action.