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.

Support staff at Parkland School Division latest to put up picket lines

STONY PLAIN/SPRUCE GROVE. AB – About 400 education support workers at Parkland School Division will begin full strike action today. The workers have been engaged in ‘work-to-rule’ since February 18.

The workers join 6,000 other striking educational support workers in Fort McMurray, Edmonton, Leduc, Sturgeon, Calgary and the Okotoks region.

CUPE Local 5543 Vice President Chrissy Nickel said the workers had wanted to give the province a chance to address the strike issues, but we’re disappointed by their lack of concern.

“The purposeful underfunding of education has left classrooms without the support staff they need, directly impacting students—those with complex needs, those in mainstream classes, and those who require additional assistance to understand the curriculum.”

Nickel said the workers will put up picket lines today at the Parkland School Division office at 4300 43 St, Stony Plain.

“We understand the impact this has on students, especially students with special needs,” said Nickel. “However, students are being negatively affected by low wages, high turnover of staff, and vacancies in support positions. A good education requires well paid, satisfied support staff.”

CALGARY, AB – Four groups of educational support workers will set up picket lines today and join existing strikes already in progress across Alberta.

The four groups include:

CUPE Local 40, 800 employees of the Calgary Board of Education.
CUPE Local 520, 350 employees of the Calgary Catholic School Division.
CUPE Local 3484, 570 employees of Black Gold School Division.
CUPE Local 5040, 300 employees of Foothills School Division.

These workers join over 4,000 others on strikes in Edmonton, Fort McMurray and Sturgeon County. A further 400 workers at Parkland School Division are engaging in ‘work-to-rule’ actions.

CUPE Alberta President Rory Gill says his members are tired of poverty-level wages and low funding levels for education. Alberta has the lowest education funding of any province in Canada. The average school support worker in the province makes just $34,500 per year.

“A good education requires well paid, satisfied support staff,” said Gill. “Some support workers have endured 30% inflation over a decade without any wage increases.”

Gill said support workers are striking because they feel low wages are having an impact on learning. Some school districts have up to 10% vacancy rates.

“We understand the impact this has on students, especially students with special needs,” said Gill. “However, students are affected by low wages, high turnover of staff, and vacancies in support positions. Doing nothing will make things worse.”

Gill blamed the Alberta government for the situation.

“We warned the province that if they didn’t take action, the strike would spread, and today that’s coming true,” said Gill. “We want the province to take responsibility, fund our schools properly and end this dispute.”

CALGARY, AB – Two more groups of education support workers have filed 72-hour strike notice, meaning four groups in total will take job action on Monday.

CUPE Local 3484, representing 570 support staff at Black Gold School Division, and CUPE Local 5040, representing 300 support staff at Foothills School Division, both served strike notice last evening. Both groups expect to begin job action on Monday morning.

CUPE Local 40 (Calgary Board of Education, 800 employees) and CUPE Local 520 (Calgary Catholic School Division, 350 employees) have already served strike notice and also expect to begin job action on Monday.

The workers join 4,000 education support workers already on strike in Edmonton, Fort McMurray, and Sturgeon School Division. A further 400 employees of Parkland School Division started work to rule on Tuesday.

The average school support worker in Alberta makes just $34,500. Many have gone almost a decade without a wage increase, a period of 30% inflation.

CUPE Alberta President Rory Gill said that striking is a final resort for education support staff, but they feel they have no other option. He said that members don’t like to leave their students, but they know doing nothing will only make a bad situation worse.

“We went too long without a meaningful wage increase, during periods of record inflation,” said Gill. “Many staff work multiple jobs and some rely upon the food bank. People who are responsible for our children’s education deserve better.”

Gill noted that Alberta has the lowest per capita education funding in Canada. He says ‘mandates’ from the province restrict the wages school divisions can offer.

“We need the province to step up and help,” said Gill. “They brought us to this point, they need to take responsibility.”

EDMONTON, AB – CUPE Alberta President Rory Gill had the following statement in regard to the injunction against the Minister of Education’s order.

“We are pleased with the Court’s decision today. All children have the right to learn and the Minister’s order was unjust and cruel.

We are heartened by the court’s refusal to order the use of replacement workers as a means to resolve the issue.

There remains one solution open to the Government of Alberta – come to the bargaining table, give education support workers the wage increases they deserve, and end the strike.”

CALGARY, AB – The union representing custodial and maintenance workers at the Calgary Board of Education (CBE) and the Calgary Catholic School District (CCSD) will serve 72-hour strike notice today.

About 800 employees at the CBE, members of CUPE Local 40, voted 94.5% in favour of a strike last week. A further 350 employees of CCSD, members of CUPE Local 520, voted 94% in favour of a strike.

CUPE Alberta President Rory Gill said the union expects to walk out on Monday morning. Picket line locations will be announced later this week. There may be some impact on community events happening at schools over the weekend as workers will be in a strike position.

The workers join 4,000 education support workers already on strike in Edmonton and Fort McMurray. About 400 employees of Parkland School Division started limited job action yesterday. Other groups, including workers at Foothills and Black Gold school divisions, are in a position to go on strike soon.

The average school support worker in Alberta makes just $34,500. Many have gone almost a decade without a wage increase, a period of 30% inflation.

Gill said his members don’t want to strike, but they feel they have been left with no other options.

“Many of our members work two or three jobs,” said Gill. “Many live on the edge of poverty.”

Gill said the workers hoped the provincial government would respond to the strikes happening in Fort McMurray and Edmonton, saying a settlement there would likely prevent a strike in Calgary.

“Unfortunately, the province doesn’t seem to respect the role of education support workers. So that leaves us little option but to escalate the strike.”

Gill said custodial and maintenance workers play a key role in schools, keeping buildings clean and running well.

CUPE cannot comment on how the school districts will choose to operate in the absence of our members.

STONY PLAIN/SPRUCE GROVE, ALBERTA – Limited job action will start today at Parkland School Division as CUPE Local 5543 asks their 400 members to engage in ‘work-to-rule’ activities.

CUPE 5543 President Wendy Harman said members will be asked to not work beyond the hours they are paid for and to not engage in volunteer activities.

The employees voted 91% in favour of job action last week. The workers join 4,000 striking employees in Edmonton, Sturgeon County and Fort McMurray who are already on strike.

Harman said the action is part of CUPE’s plans to escalate the strike until the Alberta government addresses low wages in the sector. The average educational support worker earns just $34,500 in Alberta.

“This job action is happening because the Alberta government has not acted to address the poor wages of school support workers,” said Harman. “Alberta has the lowest per capita education funding in Canada.”

“It’s inexcusable to leave our members shortchanged and classrooms underfunded.”

Almost 2,000 additional school support workers at four other school divisions have taken strike votes but have not yet served notice to strike.

Local will begin work to rule campaign next Tuesday.

STONY PLAIN, AB/SPRUCE GROVE, AB – A group of over 400 educational support workers will serve a 72-hour strike notice today to their employer, the Parkland School Division. The employees, members of CUPE Local 5543, voted 91% in favour of job action this week.

CUPE 5543 President Wendy Harman said the union expects to begin ‘work to rule’ actions on Tuesday, February 18^th. Members will be asked to not work beyond the hours they are paid for, and not to engage in any volunteer activities at their jobs.

The workers join 4,000 striking employees in Edmonton, Sturgeon County and Fort McMurray who are already on strike.

Harman said the action is part of CUPE’s plans to escalate the strike until the Alberta government addresses low wages in the sector. The average educational support worker earns just $34,500 in Alberta.

“Many of our members work two to three jobs to earn a living wage.” said Harman.

Harman says her local faces ‘mandates’ from the provincial government limiting wage increases to less than inflation.

“The impact of the provincial policy of starvation wages on the classroom is staggering,” said Harman. “No one will take the jobs at these wages, it’s hard to replace sick employees, students and education are suffering.”

Harman noted that education funding in Alberta is lower than every other province in Canada.

“It’s a hard decision to vote to strike,” said Harman. “But doing nothing will make a bad situation in classrooms even worse. We’re taking action to protect education.”

Harman says CUPE will give parents and students as much notice as possible.

Almost 2,000 additional school support workers at four other school divisions have taken strike votes but have not yet served notice to strike.