(rdnewsNOW file photo)

By Ashley Lavallee-Koenig

SEEKING FAIRER WAGES

CUPE gives bargaining notice to Alberta school districts

Jun 28, 2024 | 12:35 PM

On behalf of 10,000 school support employees across the province, the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) served a notice to bargain for better wages to 41 school districts, including three in the Red Deer area, on June 26.

Red Deer Public School Division (RDPSD), Red Deer Catholic Regional Schools (RDCRS), and Clearview Public Schools have employees in the union. CUPE represents educational assistants, administrative and custodial staff, and other job classifications that work in the school system.

“Education support is a tough way to make a living,” said CUPE Alberta President Rory Gill. “The folks you’re seeing in public education support right now are really dedicated and love what they’re doing, but many of them have a second, a third — I’ve talked to people who have four jobs just to make ends meet, pay rent, get basic things like groceries. They need to get supported, they need a raise.”

Although teachers in the public school system have a negotiating table with the province, school staff members outside of the profession have to negotiate separately, Gill explained.

“We welcome the opportunity to engage in meaningful discussions and negotiations with our CUPE employees. Given the current time of year, we anticipate that these discussions will take place in the fall,” RDPSD officials said in response to the notice. “We are committed to working collaboratively with CUPE to reach an agreement that supports the best interests of our students, staff, and the broader school community.”

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The RDPSD has approximately 81 full-time and 38 substitute CUPE employees; RDCRS has 260; and Clearview Public Schools has nine regular employees represented by the union, and a few more in a casual position.

“Our secretaries, educational assistants, and librarians play an essential role in fostering a supportive and enriching environment for our students. Their unwavering commitment and dedication help create a positive atmosphere that encourages learning and growth. They make important contributions to our schools, ensuring that daily operations run smoothly, supporting teachers, and providing invaluable assistance to our students,” said RDCRS officials in response. “We are committed to engaging in meaningful and respectful negotiations with CUPE, and we are optimistic that through collaboration and open dialogue, we can achieve an outcome that benefits our staff, students, and the broader school community.”

Gill said that this is a historic move as typically, the 41 union locals handle bargaining and other matters independently.

“They’ve realized after 10 years of really shocking austerity in public sector education support — and we have some members who haven’t seen a raise in over 10 years — that the time has come to really build solidarity and really act collectively not just in our local areas, but right across the province,” he said.

Clearview Public School officials stated they do not expect the bargaining process to have any impact to their operations, and that their relationship with CUPE has always been amicable. They said that the division appreciates the clear notice and “looks forward to working collaboratively with CUPE to reach an agreement.”

“Clearview recognizes that our Custodial Staff are important to the educational work that we do. They do a great job of keeping our buildings clean, neat and safe at our Stettler Complex, Central Office, Outreach School and Transportation Building for our students and staff,” officials said.

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