MORINVILLE, ALBERTA – CUPE Local 4625 and the Sturgeon School Division have reached a tentative settlement in the strike that has been ongoing since January 13.

Voting will open later this morning for over 200 education support workers to ratify the settlement. We expect a result tomorrow by mid-day. If the members approve the agreement, they will return to work on March 31, after spring break.

This leaves Foothills School Division as the only striking education local without a settlement. CUPE 5040 and Foothills are bargaining today.

There are now tentative settlements in the following districts:

Calgary Board of Education (CUPE 40)
Calgary Catholic School District (CUPE 520)
Edmonton Public Schools (CUPE 3550)
Black Gold School Division (CUPE 3484)
Parkland School Division (CUPE 5543)

Ratification results are expected today at CUPE 40, CUPE 3484, CUPE 3550, and CUPE 5543.

There are two ratified agreements at:

Fort McMurray Catholic Schools (CUPE 2559).
Fort McMurray Public Schools (CUPE 2545).

LEDUC, ALBERTA – CUPE Local 3484 and the Black Gold School Division have reached a tentative settlement in the strike that has been ongoing since February 24.

The 570 members will vote on the settlement tonight. If the members approve the agreement, they will return to work on Thursday.

There will be no traditional picket lines today. The workers will be participating in a community clean-up.

There are now tentative settlements in the following districts:

Edmonton Public Schools (CUPE 3550)
Parkland School Division (CUPE 5543)
Calgary Board of Education (CUPE 40)
Calgary Catholic School District (CUPE 520)
Black Gold School Division (CUPE 3484)

There are ratified agreements at:

Fort McMurray Catholic Schools (CUPE 2559).
Fort McMurray Public Schools (CUPE 2545).

CALGARY, ALBERTA – The Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) Local 520 has reached a tentative agreement with the Calgary Catholic School District.

The deal, like others reached this week, is a four-year agreement ending in August 2028. The wage settlement is higher than the provincial government mandate.

CUPE 520 will hold its ratification meeting on Thursday. If members agree to the settlement, employees will return to work on Monday morning.

There are now tentative agreements at Edmonton Public Schools (CUPE 3550), Parkland School Division (CUPE 5543), and ratified agreements at Fort McMurray Catholic Schools (CUPE 2559) and Fort McMurray Public Schools (CUPE 2545).

EDMONTON, ALBERTA – Tentative agreements were reached between the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), and the Parkland School Division and the Calgary Board of Education.

The agreements, like those negotiated in Edmonton and Fort McMurray, are all for a term ending in August 2028, and for a wage package higher than the original government ‘mandate.’

In Fort McMurray, CUPE members ratified collective agreements with both the Fort McMurray Public and Fort McMurray Catholic school districts. Workers expect to be back at work in both Fort McMurray districts on Wednesday.

CUPE 3550 members at Edmonton Public Schools will vote on their agreement on Wednesday. If the members accept the settlement, they will return to work on Thursday.

At the Calgary Board of Education, an electronic ratification vote will start tonight among members of CUPE Local 40, with results to be announced Wednesday evening. If members approve the agreement, they will be back to work on Friday.

At Parkland School District, an electronic ratification vote will start tonight among members of CUPE Local 5543, with results to be announced in the evening on Wednesday. If members approve the agreement, they will be back to work in schools on Thursday.

CUPE Alberta President Rory Gill said he was happy that more school districts are following the pattern set in Fort McMurray and Edmonton.

“Education support workers have shown great courage and determination,” said Gill. “I’m so happy for them that they have won the respect they deserve.”

EDMONTON, ALBERTA – Tentative agreements between the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), and two Fort McMurray school districts were ratified tonight.

CUPE members ratified collective agreements with both the Fort McMurray Public and Fort McMurray Catholic school districts.

Workers expect to be back at work in both Fort McMurray districts on Wednesday.

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?”