KAWARTHA LAKES-850 members of CUPE local 997 will hold a strike vote today in Minden. The Union represents Educational Assistants, Clerical and Custodial staff and more at Trillium Lakelands District School Board. They could be in a legal strike position by September 23.
One of the main issues is the recent changes and cuts by the Ontario government.
Here’s a look at how many fewer staff are in local schools this year according to the union.
Educational Assistants:
- 50 members (permanent status with the employer) have received layoff notices
- This is 38.3 FTE or 1340.5 hours per week
- This includes 7 Student Success Educational Assistants at the Secondary School level. A program that has been running for over 10 years
Office Clerical:
- 8 members (permanent status with the employer) have received layoff notices
- This is 5.54 FTE or 194 hours per week
- This includes members working in Payroll, Accounting, HR, two Secondary School secretaries and 3 Adult Education Centre Secretaries
Custodial:
- 24 members (permanent status with the employer) received layoffs that included either the elimination of their position or a reduction in their hours
- 7 members (permanent status with the employer) received layoffs that included the elimination of their position of responsibility (not reduced hours)
- 8.813 FTE reduced in the system or 352.52 hours per week in 24 schools
- 26 schools that will have reduced cleaning staff to keep the schools clean and safe for students (24 layoffs + 2 schools where there was a vacancy that was not replaced)
“Our leaders, like our members, care deeply about the work they do and about the benefits it brings to students, families and communities,” said Laura Walton, president of the Ontario School Board Council of Unions (OSBCU), CUPE’s provincially designated agent for central bargaining.
Officials are calling on the government to restore funding.
In August hundreds of school board leaders from Ontario’s largest union gathered near Toronto and supported a job action plan. The mandate given by CUPE school board leaders marked the first step of a two-step process to initiate job action by 55,000 CUPE education workers.
The second step is province-wide strike votes, which will be taken by the membership before September 17 with the local union voting today.
Bargaining for a new central collective agreement began in May and the parties next meeting in bargaining on August 14 and 15. School board collective agreements expired on August 31.
Stephen Lecce, Minister of Education says he is disappointed in the action of the union.
“As the school year begins, it is important that parents, students and educators know that I remain on their side, committed to keeping kids in the classroom.” Lecce said. “I am disappointed that CUPE has decided to take this action, however, I am pleased that an agreement was reached with CUPE and the school boards to appoint Bill Kaplan as a mediator.”
Kaplan was appointed last week.
“We continue to call on all parties to reach a deal in good faith, as soon as possible, to provide confidence and predictability to parents, students, and educators alike.” Lecce states.
