The planned strike by school support staff, set for Tuesday morning, has been put on hold.
Alberta’s Ministry of Jobs, Economy and Trade stepped into the labour dispute by creating a Disputes Inquiry Board, which requires the school divisions and the union to resume negotiations with a neutral third-party arbitrator.
As a result, support staff, including custodians, education assistants, administrative staff, and librarians, will be on the job today. Both school divisions confirmed that schools will operate normally. In a statement, they highlighted the workers’ importance, saying, “Our support staff are an integral part of Fort McMurray Schools, and their contributions are critical to the success of our students, families, and staff. We recognize the immeasurable value they add to our school communities.”
The Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), representing the support staff, expressed outrage at the province’s intervention, calling it a violation of Charter-protected rights and an attack on collective bargaining.
“The Smith government has shown a total disregard for workers, their rights, and their aspirations for improving education quality for Fort McMurray students,” said Rory Gill, president of CUPE Alberta.
Danielle Danis, president of CUPE 2559, added, “Our members haven’t had a real wage increase in nearly a decade. Many of us are struggling, working two or three jobs. This round of bargaining was our chance to correct those wrongs.”
The Disputes Inquiry Board has 30 days to reach a settlement. If no deal is reached, CUPE could issue another 72-hour strike notice.
Parents are reacting to the news with mixed feelings. Cagney Edwards, whose special needs child was affected by the potential strike, said she is relieved that support staff will be back but frustrated by the ongoing dispute.
“This is just a small victory for our children, but there are still many hurdles to overcome,” Edwards said. “The education system is broken for special needs children.”
She said that high-needs students are often overlooked in terms of funding and their right to education.
Dozens of parents had been told they would need to keep their children home if the strike went ahead. News of the support staff’s return spread quickly on social media, with many parents relieved, while others hoped the districts would better compensate education assistants to ensure students with challenges are not caught in the crossfire of labour actions.
CUPE is holding a Media Conference Tuesday morning at 9:00 a.m. and Harvard Media News will have updates as they become available.