The union representing many of the Alberta’s education and health-care workers is calling for Danielle Smith and the UCP government to withdraw Bill 26, Bill 27 and Bill 29, and end their harmful attacks on trans youth.

CUPE has always fought for human rights in the workplace and beyond. All CUPE members and the Albertans they work with in schools and in the community have a right to dignity and safety. Requiring education workers to deny the identity of students and putting them in a position of ethical conflict creates unsafe conditions for both students and support staff.

The UCP government is failing Albertans with this legislation. Most Albertans are trying to meet their basic needs, find health care, and access important supports in their schools and communities. “This government has a lot of work to do to fulfill its responsibilities to Albertans. The extent they will go to distract from their failures and use the identities and lives of Alberta citizens to sow political division is heartbreaking and disturbing,” said Rory Gill, President of CUPE Alberta.

Parents, youth, teachers, and health professionals are saying this legislation is not only wrong-headed, it’s also potentially devastating for some of the most vulnerable young people and families in the province. “Hard-working Albertans and their families need a government focused on solving problems, not creating them. Bill 26, Bill 27, and Bill 29 need to be withdrawn in the interest of the dignity and safety of every Albertan,” said Gill.

Bill 26, Bill 27, and Bill 29 are part of a disturbing nation-wide rise in anti-trans policies. CUPE stands in solidarity with trans people and will help resist threats to their rights and safety.

“Hate and misinformation have no place in our workplaces or communities. These bills take the bullying of vulnerable young people to new lows as Danielle Smith tries to score political points while ignoring the needs of working people,” said CUPE National President Mark Hancock.

“Our union has the backs of trans youth and the CUPE members who help them learn, get health care, and live their lives. Trans rights are human rights and we will show up whenever workers or their families are under attack anywhere across this country,” said CUPE National Secretary-Treasurer Candace Rennick.

Contact
Jocelyn Johnson
Communications Representative
Phone #: 780-700-5592

Fort McMurray Catholic and public education support workers in CUPE Locals 2545 and 2559 will vote on recommendations proposed by the Disputes Inquiry Board (DIB), from Friday, November 1^st until 4pm Monday, November 4^th, through an electronic ballot.  The Alberta Labour Relations Board will announce the official results on Tuesday, November 5^th. If the recommendations are voted down, 72 hours’ strike notice could be served immediately by the Local.

“The DIB recommendations do not address the needs of our members. We have not had a raise in almost ten years, and a $175.00 annual honorarium proposed by the DIB does not make up for a lack of meaningful wage increases,” explains Lynn Fleet, President of CUPE Local 2545. “We did not negotiate this settlement. If we do not fight back now for our right to bargain freely and fairly, we will continue to be pushed around. We urge members to vote ‘no’ on this offer,” says Fleet.

The DIB recommendations would put wages at a rate that still falls short of a livable income, leaving many members below the poverty line. “We’re hearing loud and clear from our membership that they won’t accept a deal that doesn’t address the inflated cost of living, and we strongly support every member’s decision to vote ‘no’,” adds Danielle Danis, President CUPE Local 2559.

CUPE Locals 2545 and 2559 represent more than 1,000 educational assistants, librarians, IT workers, custodians, and maintenance workers at Fort McMurray’s public and Catholic schools.

Contact
Alanna King
Communications Representative
Phone #:780-381-0809

Sturgeon Public School Division education support workers in CUPE Local 4625 held a strike vote on Friday, October 25th. The membership of roughly 250 includes educational assistants, cafeteria clerks, office clerks, library clerks, therapy assistants, library technicians, cafeteria technicians, accounts clerks, vocational assistants, divisional administrative assistants, and licenced practical nurses. The result was a decisive strike vote with 93% of the membership turning out to vote and 94% in favour of taking strike action. After confirmation of the final results by the Alberta Labour Board, the Local is now in a position to give 72-hour notice to strike.

President of CUPE Local 4625 Kelly Salisbury said she heard consistent themes about understaffing and severe difficulty making ends meet on low wages from members leading into the vote and anticipated this strong result. “We’ve tolerated 8 years of zeroes, doing our best to support the kids we care deeply about. We just can’t make it work anymore. Students are our absolute main priority, but an inability to pay the bills is affecting members at home, making the job unsustainable,” said Salisbury.

Along with CUPE Local 4625, CUPE Local 474 members also recently held a strike vote with 97% of members voting yes to strike. The two Locals join CUPE Locals 3550, 2559, and 2545 with strike mandates, however these three other Locals were forced into a Dispute Inquiry Board process by the provincial government just before they took strike action.

“We are very determined to achieve a fair collective bargaining agreement,” said Salisbury. “We know that if we don’t stand up for fair pay for these important services, the ones who will suffer most will be our students and their families.”

Contact: Jocelyn Johnson
Communications Representative
Phone #: 780-700-5592

October 21st and 22nd, 2024

Edmonton Public School custodial staff in CUPE Local 474 held a strike vote in person over two days on October 17^th and 20^th. The membership of roughly 900 voted decisively in favour of taking strike action by 97%. After confirmation of the final results by the Alberta Labour Board, the Local is now in a position to give 72-hour strike notice.

President of CUPE Local 474 Barry Benoit said, he had anticipated this strong result, having heard consistently from the membership that “issues around respect, wages, and benefits have to be addressed for an agreement to be acceptable.”

This is the second CUPE Local in Edmonton Public to take a strike vote, following CUPE Local 3550’s strike vote on October 16^th. This is the first time in the history of both locals that members are overwhelmingly willing to take strike action. “We are very determined to achieve a fair collective bargaining agreement,” said Benoit. “We are, as we have always been, open to getting back to the table to consider an offer we can recommend to members if it properly addresses the issues.”

Contact: Jocelyn Johnson
Communications Representative
Phone #: 780-700-5592

CUPE Local 3550 members are set to go on strike on October 24^th, but their employer, Edmonton Public School Board (EPSB), has advised they intend to make a request to the Alberta government to impose a Disputes Inquiry Board (DIB).

CUPE Alberta President Rory Gill sent a letter to Minister of Jobs, Economy and Trade Matt Jones asking the Alberta government to respect the bargaining process by removing provincial wage directives and letting the parties negotiate in good faith. Gill states in the letter, “there are no outstanding issues between EPSB and CUPE Local 3550 that could be resolved by a DIB as long as the government’s wage mandate remains in place.”

This provincial stall tactic was used recently against education support staff in Fort MacMurray to prevent members of CUPE Locals 2545 and 2559 from being able to begin their strike. The DIB resulted in no movement or alternate proposals and simply prolonged the impasse for educational support workers in Fort McMurray. “We see imposing a DIB while maintaining wage directives as an attempt to bully CUPE members into taking the government’s wage mandate,” the letter states.

Gill urged the minister not to interfere with the constitutional right to strike, stating that if the government imposes a DIB at the request of EPSB “it will be obvious that the government is acting in bad faith and has no respect for free collective bargaining.”

Click here to read the letter to Minister Jones

CUPE Local 3550 Edmonton Public School Support Workers Set to Begin Strike on October 24^th.

EDMONTON, Alberta – CUPE Local 3550’s strike will officially begin on Thursday, October 24^th, 2024, from 7am-5pm for all work sites at Edmonton Public schools.

“This result shows incredible strength in the membership’s resolve to achieve a fair collective bargaining agreement.”

The Local held their strike vote on October 16^th, 2024 resulting in 92% of eligible voting members turning out to vote with 97% voting in favour of taking strike action.

“This result shows incredible strength in the membership’s resolve to achieve a fair collective bargaining agreement,” said CUPE Local 3550 President Mandy Lamoureux.

Strike notice was served on October 18^th, following the Local’s strike vote receiving confirmation from the Alberta Labour Board.

With the prospect of 3000 support staff off the job, Lamoureux hopes the provincial government will recognize their mandated wage caps are the major problem getting in the way of being able to settle a deal. “Shortfalls in public education funding and mandated low wages have to stop. This is not sustainable. Poverty wages will not help recruit and retain the skilled professionals we need in our schools,” she said.

The Local has seen an outpouring of support from the public, Lamoureux added. “Education support staff know how much our work means to students and families, and we’re deeply grateful for the advocacy from the community alongside us to stand up for an education system that’s properly funded and properly supported.”

Contact

Jocelyn Johnson
780-700-5592

Members of the CUPE Local 3550 Bargaining Committee were invited back to the bargaining table by the Edmonton Public School Board on the morning of October 15^th, less than 24 hours before the beginning of their strike vote set to be held virtually starting at 6:00 am on October 16^th.

“We know our membership needs to see more, given the years of rising cost-of-living, increasing workloads, and understaffing they have been enduring. Our bargaining committee is very committed to achieving a fair deal.”

The employer made a verbal offer to extend the contract from 4 years to 8 years. Unfortunately, nothing changed in the employer’s position to hold wages to the provincial government’s cap of 2.75% over the first 4 years. “That’s about 70 cents over 4 years,” said President of CUPE Local 3550 President Mandy Lamoureux. “It’s not enough.” The wage rate proposed for the additional 4 years also fell far short of being sufficient to correct the gap in wages that has developed over the last decade.

“We know our membership needs to see more, given the years of rising cost-of-living, increasing workloads, and understaffing they have been enduring. Our bargaining committee is very committed to achieving a fair deal,” said Lamoureux.

This last-minute verbal proposal is an obvious attempt to dissuade members from a strike. “It is a strong-arm effort to lock us into terms they hope we will accept out of fear. It would prevent us from bringing any other items onto the table in the next round. This is not a situation we are prepared to accept,” said Lamoureux.

CUPE Local 474 has also been invited back to the bargaining table ahead of their strike vote taking place in person over two days on October 17^th and 20^th. It is anticipated that the same offer to extend the length of the contract made to Local 3550 will also be made to Local 474.

Local 474 President Barry Benoit explained that “health, safety, and respect for the work it takes to keep schools running are important to custodial staff, but the overwhelming issue is wages having fallen so far behind. He added “members are also concerned our benefits are at a lower level than any other staff group in Edmonton Public Schools.”

Education support workers have seen strong demonstrations of unity within their memberships and an enormous outpouring of support from the public. Parents are speaking out about the critical role education support plays in the safety and learning of their children at school, local businesses across the province have offered in various ways, and dozens of other unions are committing to join picket lines if strikes occur.

“The provincial government needs to recognize that their mandated wage caps aren’t acceptable, and they need to recognize it very quickly if they want to avoid a strike in Edmonton Public schools,” said Rory Gill, President of CUPE Alberta.

Contacts

Jocelyn Johnson
780-700-5592