Educational assistants who work in the Edmonton Public School District have voted 84 per cent in favour of rejecting the latest wage cap offer from the disputes inquiry board.
CUPE Local 3550, the union that represents EAs, says this means a strike could happen in the new year if they can’t reach a fair deal.
There is a bit of relief for parents going into the new year. Mandy Lamoureux, the president of CUPE Local 3550, confirmed with Global News that there will likely be educational assistants on staff for the first day of school when students return from Christmas break.
Lamoureux said low staff, low retention and below-minimum-wage earnings have been the factors for bargaining since the two sides went to the table in 2020.
The disputes inquiry board offered a 2.75 per cent wage cap; the union wants a number closer to 30 per cent.
“Our members are working two to three jobs, going to food banks, struggling to buy Christmas gifts to put under the Christmas tree. We think they deserve a livable wage, and so they are fighting hard for that,” Lamoureux said. “If we can’t come up with a fair deal, then a 72-hour notice will be served at some point in the next month or so.”
The Edmonton Public School Division sent out a letter to parents on Monday. The division said in a statement to Global News: “While the vote outcome is not what we hoped for, we respect the decision of CUPE Local 3550 members. We still remain committed to reaching an agreement without a work stoppage.”
It added that it has not received strike notice from the union.
Demetrios Nicolaides, minister of education of Alberta, said in a statement to Global News that “it is our hope that the union goes back to the bargaining table to work with EPSB, and recognizes the uncertainty this creates for families and students.”