New deals signal end of Alberta's school support worker strike

Education support workers who have been on strike for weeks are entertaining new contract offers which could see them soon return to Alberta classrooms. 

A series of approved and tentative deals have been reached between members of the Canadian Union of Public Employees and local school boards, signalling the end of a prolonged labour dispute.

The union has been demanding what it calls fair wages for the thousands of support workers it represents across Alberta and began staging strikes two months ago. 

School support workers include education assistants, librarians, licensed practical nurses, interpreters, cafeteria workers and administration staff. Their absence from classrooms left schools scrambling to fill the gap in staffing and support services, especially for students with higher needs. 

In a statement Tuesday, union officials said a tentative agreement has been reached for workers at Parkland School District. 

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

CUPE 3550 members at Edmonton Public Schools will vote on their agreement on Wednesday. About 3,000 CUPE 3550 members have been on strike at Edmonton Public since early January. If the members accept the settlement, they will return to work on Thursday.  

In Fort McMurray, education support workers approved a new contract and will return to work Wednesday.

In a statement released Monday night, CUPE said members ratified agreements with the Fort McMurray Public and Fort McMurray Catholic school districts. It comes after 1,000 members in Fort McMurray walked off the job in mid-November. 

A tentative deal has also been reached for workers with the Calgary Board of Education, the union announced Tuesday.

CUPE spokesperson Lou Arab said the union will not be releasing detailed results of the vote.

The details of each contract have yet to be released. CUPE officials say the contracts ratified so far are for terms ending in August 2028, and for a wage package higher than what the government initially offered.

The details of the collective agreements will become publicly available in the coming days.

In Tuesday's statement, CUPE Alberta President Rory Gill said he was pleased more school districts are following workers in Fort McMurray and Edmonton in negotiating and approving new deals.

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