More than 2000 Educational Support Workers from five different school divisions in Alberta have voted to join a job action currently being undertaken by more than 4,000 support workers in Edmonton and Calgary.
This includes schools in Duffield, Entwistle, Tomahawk and Wabamun.
The five latest divisions are:
Local 40, Calgary Board of Education, which employs 800 custodial and maintenance employees. 94.5 per cent voted in favour of a job action.
Local 520, Calgary Catholic School District, which employs 350 custodial and maintenance employees. 94 per cent voted in favour of a job action.
Local 3484, Black Gold School Division, which employs 570 EAs and support staff employees. 95 per cent voted in favour of a job action.
Local 5040, Foothills School Division, which employs 300 EAs and support staff employees. 82 per cent voted in favour of a job action.
And Local 5543, Parkland School Division, which employs 400 EAs and support staff employees. 91 per cent voted in favour of a job action.
Rory Gill, president of CUPE Alberta, says strike mandates from another five groups is a strong sign that the Alberta government needs to take steps to improve funding in next week’s budget. He notes that Alberta currently has the lowest per-student education funding of any province in Canada.
Gill also says CUPE officials tried to warn the province about this outcome but were ignored.
“We’ve been telling the government that if they don’t address the funding problems in our classrooms, the strikes will expand,” said Gill. “They did not address the funding problems, and now the strikes will expand.”
Gill also provided the following statement in response to what he calls a “Smear Campaign” from two ministers in the Alberta government.
“The outrageous statement posted by the Alberta government today (Wednesday) is full of falsehoods and baseless attacks,” says Gill. “The UCP government that repeatedly claims it is not involved in bargaining with education support workers is very quick to comment on the matter and involving itself to an unprecedented level. Once again, rather than step up to the plate and negotiate a solution to the classroom problems they have caused, the government chooses a smear campaign.”
Gill continues.
“Local 829 in Medicine Hat was put under administration for reasons unrelated to bargaining. The former executive chose to meet with the school district after being informed they were put into administration. Therefore the deal they signed has no force or effect. However, the administrator will pursue bargaining with that school district until further notice.”
Gill says there are several falsehoods in the report.
“There is no injunction from the Alberta Labour Board preventing picketing. Rather, CUPE and the school district entered into an agreement that picketing would not delay school buses. This is a normal part of the labour board’s role in helping unions and employers reach agreements during labour disputes.”
“The “Nurse Next Door” program withdrew from offering services to Edmonton Public Schools after claiming they didn’t realize they would be replacing striking workers. Not due to pressure from CUPE.”
“Alberta has the lowest per-capita education funding in Canada. Instead of engaging in smear campaigns, the government should come to the table and address the issues that their lack of funding has provided.”
The five divisions issued their 72-hour strike notice this morning, meaning they will join the picket line Friday morning.
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Minister of Education, Demetrios Nicholaidas and Minister of Finance, Nate Horner, have provided the following joint statement.
“CUPE National union with Ontario-based leadership is interfering in what should be local negotiations between school boards and CUPE locals, and in other areas using tactics of fear and intimidation to prevent deals from being signed.”
“In Medicine Hat, following an agreement between the Medicine Hat Public School Division and CUPE local 829, the national leadership of CUPE effectively deregistered the local to prevent a ratification vote. In Sturgeon School Division, the Alberta Labour Relations Board had to issue an injunction to prevent union activists from blocking school buses. In Edmonton, after nurses were contracted to administer insulin and other medications to medically fragile children, CUPE pressured the nursing agency to withdraw service, forcing those students to stay home.”
“This pattern of behaviour is disturbing and shows that education support workers who do not yet have a deal will not be permitted to vote on one, under fear of deregistration by union leaders in Ontario. At the end of the day the antics and disturbing action taken by union leaders in Ontario is causing extremely detrimental effects to learning outcomes for Alberta students.
“Alberta’s government and school boards have shown up to the table to find a path forward, but CUPE National leaders clearly have ulterior motives that are not in the best interests of their members or Alberta students. Alberta’s government calls upon CUPE to allow local bargaining to take place and stop these tactics of fear and intimidation so that kids can be back in school getting the care and education they deserve.”
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