Workers at Both Fort McMurray School Divisions Headed for Potential Strike as Formal Mediation Ends in Impasse

FORT MCMURRAY, Alberta--(BUSINESS WIRE)--CUPE Locals 2545 and 2559, representing all education support workers with the Fort McMurray Public School Division and the Fort McMurray Roman Catholic Separate School Division respectively, could hold strike mandate votes as early as Saturday, September 7, after leaving formal mediation without new collective agreements.

The mandated cooling-off period for both locals begins on Saturday, August 24, at which time they can hold strike votes where their membership would decide whether to take job action, which would leave only teachers and management at the schools should a strike occur.

The memberships of both locals are committed to negotiating significant gains during this round of bargaining and are coordinating with allies in the region to plan next steps as the cooling-off period begins.

This comes at a time when workers pockets have been hit hard by the rising cost of living, which has risen by 30 per cent over the last 10 years.

Danielle Danis, president of local 2559, said her members have had to take on significantly higher workloads to deal with the larger class sizes and the large influx of new students to the province.

“The employer talks the talk but doesn't walk the walk. We are told we are appreciated and valued but after going almost a decade without a wage increase, that sends a totally different message,” Danis said.

Workers at Local 2559 schools have not seen a wage increase in nine years, last seeing their wages rise in 2015 when they received a two per cent increase.

They have tabled a proposal of $2 per hour for each of the prospective four years of the agreement, but the employer has continued to offer the provincially mandated 2.75 per cent guideline, which would only represent a mere $0.46 per hour increase for workers at the lowest end of the pay scale.

They have also tabled proposals that would see workers gain parity with their public-school counterparts, who currently make higher wages, have greater benefits, and have more days available for sick leave and personal days.

Local 2545, who last saw a wage increase in 2020 when they received 1.25 per cent, has tabled a wage proposal of $2 per hour each year for the three-year duration of the agreement, which would offer some of the necessary wage relief to address the rising cost of living.

Nevertheless, their employer, at the request of the Alberta Government’s Provincial Coordinated Bargaining Office, has tabled a two-tier wage proposal that would see wage cuts from $1.10 to $4.07 an hour for newly hired educational assistants, custodial, and maintenance employees in the unit, along with zero per cent increases to wages for existing employees across the board. Employees stand to take unacceptable wage cuts under this plan.

Lynn Fleet, president of local 2545, said most of their workers do not receive full-time hours, and many have had to get second or third jobs just to make ends meet.

“Our members are deeply upset that the government wants to implement a two-tiered wage system where newly hired people (that will be doing the exact same jobs and working with the exact same children) will receive a much lower wage,” Fleet said.

“Our members know this just isn’t right or fair, and that if they accept it now, the government will likely come for their wages next.”

The employer has also not reduced the number of mandatory days off for educational assistants (Personal Learning Fridays), paid holidays for Easter and Truth and Reconciliation Day, and or addressed staffing/scheduling issues.

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