EDMONTON, ALBERTA – Deals that could lead to the end of a province wide strike by education workers were reached today between CUPE locals and the Edmonton Public, Fort McMurray Public and Fort McMurray Catholic school districts.

The settlements, which must still be ratified by CUPE members, would end the strikes at three school districts. About 3,000 CUPE 3550 members have been on strike at Edmonton Public since January 13 and another 1,000 CUPE 2545 and CUPE 2559 members in Fort McMurray have been on strike since mid-November 2024.

The settlements do not apply to the 2,600 support workers on strike in Calgary, Sturgeon, Parkland, Foothills and Black Gold school divisions, however, CUPE Alberta President Rory Gill says those locals will be rushing back to the negotiating table as quickly as possible to try to get a deal.

“I’m in awe of the workers in Edmonton and Fort McMurray who stood their ground, in weather as cold as minus 51 degrees, to win a fair contract,” said Gill. “Their fortitude, their determination, and their solidarity won the day.”

“Education support workers are critical to our school system, and today they finally won the respect they deserve,” said Gill.

Gill said CUPE won’t be releasing finer details of the settlement until members have had a chance to look at it. However, he did confirm that all three deals have wage agreements that are higher than the original wage mandates imposed by the Alberta government, and all three deals were for a period ending in August 2028.

At Fort McMurray Public and Catholic schools, workers will vote on the proposal over a 24-hour period ending on Monday evening. If the proposal is ratified, members will return to work on Wednesday, March 19. There will be no traditional picket lines on Monday or Tuesday.

At Edmonton Public Schools, ratification will occur on Monday or Tuesday, and return to work will happen on Wednesday or Thursday. There will be no traditional picket lines in the meantime.

MEDICINE HAT, ALBERTA – Members of CUPE 829 at the Medicine Hat Public Schools have rejected a so called “final offer” from their employer.

The vote, conducted by the Alberta Labour Relations Board at the request of the School District, was completed over the last two days.

Results (unofficial):

Yes: 20.9%
No: 79.1%

Total votes: 235 (out of 274 eligible).

The school district offer was a 3% wage increase per year, over a four year period. This is the provincial government ‘wage mandate’ rejected by CUPE locals on strike in other parts of the province.

CUPE Alberta President Rory Gill said he was pleased with the results and pleased “that members of Local 829 voted in solidarity with other education workers across the province.”

EDMONTON, ALBERTA – Instead of paying educational support staff a decent wage and settling a strike into its ninth week, Alberta schools are starting to impose rotating online learning.

At Edmonton Public Schools, some schools are sending students home once or twice per week. At Michael Strembitsky school, the entire 7^th and 8^th grades will alternate being sent home for a week.

CUPE Local 3550 has been on strike since January 13^th. In total, 6,600 educational support staff are on strike across Alberta for better education funding and livable wages. Alberta has the lowest funded education system in Canada. The average school support worker makes just $34,500, many went almost a decade without a meaningful wage increase.

CUPE 3550 President Mandy Lamoureux says at-home learning is bad for the students.

“We learned during the pandemic that students do better in classrooms,” said Lamoureux. “It’s amazing how far the government has to go to avoid giving support workers a real wage increase.”

“Rather than putting schools in chaos, rather than making life so hard for Alberta students, why won’t the government do the right thing, come to the bargaining table, and end the strike?”

CALGARY, ALBERTA – The Calgary Board of Education (CBE) has cancelled in-person parent-teacher meetings due to the strike by CUPE 40 custodial workers.

CUPE 40’s 800 members have been on strike since February 24. They are part of a strike of 6,600 education support workers across Alberta. The average support staff person makes just $34,500 and many have gone ten years without a meaningful wage increase.

CUPE 40 President Clay Gordon said the cancellation was unfortunate, as face-to-face meetings are generally more productive. Gordon said the state of schools and lack of background checks for replacement workers are likely to blame.

“The house is a mess, and they don’t want company,” said Gordon. “And they have some scabs in the building that may be a little dodgy.”

“Rather than continue to cancel events in the school, wouldn’t it be better if the Alberta government just came to the bargaining table, gave workers a livable wage and ended the strike?”

WAINWRIGHT, ALBERTA – Two groups of rural education workers in east central Alberta have taken strike votes. CUPE 1606, which represents 250 workers at the Buffalo Trail School Division and CUPE 5352 representing 125 workers at East Central Catholic School Division have both completed successful votes to strike.

Neither group has announced plans to serve 72-hour strike notice, however, CUPE has been notified that Buffalo Trail School Division may serve lockout notice.

Both school divisions cover the communities of Wainwright, Vermillion and other parts of east central Alberta.

Nine other groups of education support staff, 6,600 workers in total, are on strike in Fort McMurray, Edmonton, Sturgeon, Parkland, Black Gold, Calgary and Foothills School Division. Employees of Grande Yellowhead School Division also took a recent strike vote, but have not announced strike notice yet.

The main issue is wages and funding of education. The average education support worker makes just $34,500. Alberta has the lowest per capita education funding in Canada.

“The government is using fear and intimidation as bargaining tactics,” said CUPE 1606 President Trish Thomas. “They are trying to bully us into accepting a deal that is not in the best interest of our members or students.”

“A good education requires well paid, satisfied support staff,” said CUPE 5352 President Coree Girard. “We don’t want to strike, but we need to take action to protect students.”

EDMONTON, ALBERTA – For the second time since the beginning of a strike by education support workers, an Edmonton Public School Trustee has resigned, citing support for the low paid workers.

On Friday evening, Ward C Trustee Marcia Hole made statements on social media announcing her resignation from the board, and supporting education workers.

In January, Ward D Trustee Trisha Estabrooks resigned from the school district in a similar manner, citing support for the strike and opposition to the provincial government’s underfunding of education.

Education support workers at Edmonton Public Schools have been on strike since January 13, 2025. In total, 6,600 education support workers are on strike at nine different school districts across the province.

CUPE 3550 President Mandy Lamoureux said the resignations speak to the growing consensus around the strike.

“We hear from Trustees, administrators, teachers, parents and students all the time. Everyone agrees that wages are too low, funding isn’t enough, and that the Alberta government needs to act to fix the problems in our classrooms,” said Lamoureux.

“I want to thank Trustees Hole and Estabrooks for standing up for education, and literally putting their jobs on the line to say what everyone is thinking: support workers deserve respect and a living wage.”

EDSON, ALBERTA – Another group of education support workers could soon join a growing province wide strike.

One hundred and sixty support staff at Grand Yellowhead School Division voted 82% in favour of strike action. The results were counted on Friday. The workers, members of CUPE Local 1357, have been without a contract since 2021. The Division operates schools in the communities of Jasper, Hinton, Edson, Grande Cache and others.

Nine other groups of education support staff, 6,600 workers, are on strike in Fort McMurray, Edmonton, Sturgeon, Parkland, Black Gold, Calgary and Foothills School Division. The main issue is wages and funding of education.

“The average school support worker in Alberta makes $34,500,” said CUPE Alberta President Rory Gill. “Many workers have gone ten years without a wage increase. Alberta has the lowest per-capita education funding in Canada.”

Gill says low wages are hurting learning efforts inside the classroom, noting that it’s difficult to hire new staff at such low wages.

The union has not yet provided 72-hour strike notice, nor has it indicated when it might do that.

“School support workers don’t want to strike. It’s a last resort,” said Gill “They care about students and don’t want to walk away. But doing nothing will hurt students even more.”

EDMONTON, ALBERTA – CUPE Alberta President Rory Gill reacted to certain aspects of the provincial budget tabled today.

On education funding:

“The government has increased education funding, but it’s not enough to cover enrollment and inflation. We would need an increase of 6.8%, what we got was 4.5%. So Alberta’s education will continue to deteriorate.

For four years, Alberta has had the lowest education spending in Canada.

This means the strikes are likely to continue and spread to more school districts. The government does not seem to care that education support workers are making poverty wages, and have gone a decade without a proper increase.”

On the tax cut:

“A tax cut is nice, but it doesn’t do much for support workers earning $34,500. It means about $13/week. That doesn’t lift them out of poverty. Meanwhile, the richest of the rich are getting massive tax breaks that are more than support workers make in a year.”

On hiring more teachers and support staff:

“Funding to hire more teachers and support staff, and some support for children with special needs is welcome. However, it doesn’t address the low wages in the sector that are making it difficult to hire support staff. Edmonton Public School Division alone has a 10% vacancy rate among support staff. The government needs to address low wages in the field.”

MEDIA ADVISORY

EDMONTON, AB — Thousands of striking education support workers will protest in front of the Alberta Legislature tomorrow afternoon, before the government tables its budget.

CUPE has arranged for over 50 buses full of striking workers to come to the legislature and demand that the government participate in bargaining with them.

CUPE Alberta President Rory Gill says the workers will set up a bargaining table on the steps of the Legislature and invite members of the government to join them.

Location:   Alberta Legislature, main (north) entrance
Date:         Thursday, February 27, 2025
Time:         2:00 pm

Later in the day, Rory Gill will be available in the rotunda of the Legislature to respond to the budget, and how it effects the strike.