Support staff workers at Edmonton Public Schools have voted to strike this Thursday, with union representatives saying the wages they’re being offered aren’t close to enough.
“About 60 per cent of our members are educational assistants. We also have administrative assistants, technicians, librarians,” said Mandy Lamoureux, the president of CUPE Local 3550.
That also includes school nurses, food workers and speech pathology assistants. The president of the local union representing those public education support workers tells CityNews they and the EPSB are far apart on wage increases.
“The government-imposed mandate of 2.75 per cent, which equates to approximately 73 cents per member, per hour, which is nowhere near the cost of living increase, which is 30 per cent,” Lamoureux said.
In a letter sent home to parents late last week, EPSB superintendent, Darrel Robertson said the school board is disappointed strike action will impact students in Edmonton Public classrooms, adding a mediator has been hired for negotiations between the union and school board.
“We understand this will have an impact on our schools and student learning,” Robertson wrote. “The division has contingency plans for this work stoppage, which we will share with families early next week.”
The strike action comes as the union representing teachers in Alberta is in negotiations with the province on a new contract. They are asking for their own wage increases, as well as more support to handle the province’s expanding classroom sizes.
Lamoreux says it comes down to the province underfunding the public school system.
“They need to better fund the schools,” she said. “Students are suffering. These students are our future and the school system is in serious crisis.”
Alberta Minister of Education Demetrios Nicolaides told CityNews in an email he is choosing to stay out of this negotiation, adding he’s hopeful the two sides can reach an agreement.