CUPE Strikes Escalate as More Alberta School Support Workers Walk Off the Job
Labour disputes between the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) and several Alberta school districts are escalating, with more support workers joining picket lines across the province.
Strikes will begin onn Monday at Black Gold School Division and Foothills School Division, adding to ongoing job action at the Calgary Board of Education, Calgary Catholic School Division, and existing strikes at Edmonton Public Schools, Fort McMurray Public and Catholic Divisions, and Sturgeon School Division. In total, more than 4,000 support workers are now off the job, with another 400 Parkland School Division employees engaging in work-to-rule.
The strikes follow votes in favor of job action, as CUPE members push for higher wages, better working conditions, and improved class sizes. The union argues that limited provincial education funding has left school districts unable to meet workers’ demands. CUPE says the average school support worker in Alberta earns about $34,500 annually, with many forced to take on multiple jobs or rely on food banks.
Union officials maintain that while they are willing to negotiate, repeated proposals from school boards have failed to meet workers’ needs. They say the provincial government’s funding restrictions on school districts are a major obstacle to reaching an agreement.
School divisions impacted by the strikes have warned of disruptions, particularly for students who rely on educational assistants. Talks between the union and affected school boards remain ongoing.