Over 3,000 education support workers from the Edmonton Public School Board and Sturgeon Public School Division have initiated strike action, marking an escalation in ongoing labor disputes centred around wages.
The workers, represented by CUPE Local 3550 and CUPE 4625, have been without a contract since August 2020, and their decision to strike comes after years of negotiations that have failed to yield satisfactory wage adjustments.
"The average educational support worker earns $34,500 in Alberta, which is simply not sustainable," said CUPE Local 3550 President Mandy Lamoureux, noting the dire financial situation many support staff face.
"Many of our members work two to three jobs just to make ends meet."
The union has been vocal about the need for the provincial government to address low wages, with Lamoureux pointing out that mandated wage caps are the primary obstacle to reaching an agreement.
"It is unconscionable for the UCP government to continue to underfund education and allow EAs to not be adequately compensated for the important and demanding work they do to ensure all of our kids have access to the education they need and deserve," said Alberta NDP Deputy Leader Rakhi Pancholi.
Going on strike is not the solution, said Alberta Finance Minister Nate Horner in a statement.
"CUPE blaming government is not a solution. It is not fair to workers who will have to live on strike pay and it’s not fair to the students who will miss out on valuable learning opportunities."
“CUPE leadership needs to stop misleading its members, students, parents and the public and get back to the bargaining table with creative solutions,” Horner added.