Catholic school support staff on strike in Edson, Whitecourt and Slave Lake

Students with disabilities are on the losing end of a labour dispute between the Living Waters Catholic school division and school support staff workers in northwestern Alberta, one parent says.

Whitecourt parent Jessica Haggith said she’s keeping one of her three children at home while her son’s educational assistant is off the job. Her nine-year-old twin sons are both on the autism spectrum.

“A stranger’s not going to work with him in this situation,” Haggith said of her son Jayson, who is on the severe end of the spectrum. “He does not work well with change.”

The Alberta Union of Provincial Employees (AUPE) said 120 educational assistants, typists, custodians, library clerks, secretaries, maintenance and financial assistants at six Catholic schools in Edson, Whitecourt and Slave Lake have been on strike since Friday. Schools are still open and classes are running, the division says.

Last week, workers voted 96 per cent in favour of job action to push for more predictable work hours and wage increases that keep pace with the rising cost of living, AUPE vice-president Rod Feland said on Monday.

Also Monday, a 37-year union member picketing the board office in Whitecourt was struck by a vehicle driven by a senior school district administrator, Feland said. He sustained muscle injury and is expected to recover, the union later said in a news release.

In a statement, Living Waters’ corporate secretary said the division is “reviewing recent events” and working with police to ensure people can come and go from the property while respecting the union’s picketing rights.

RCMP spokesman Cpl. Chris Warren said police are aware of the demonstration but had not received any report or complaint of injuries.

Employees were frustrated to see temporary workers crossing picket lines at schools, Feland said.

“There’s going to be some bad feelings over it,” he said.

The workers in AUPE local 71, chapter 12 have been without a contract since Aug. 31, 2016, and bargaining has been ongoing since spring 2016, Feland said.

In a Sept. 24 news release, the school district said talks broke down over wages. The district has offered no increases for 2016-17 and 2017-18, and a $300 lump sum for 2018-19.

“The provincial government has communicated to school jurisdictions, including Living Waters, its mandate that labour agreements reflect the reality of our current economy and provincial funding,” the release said. “Living Waters’ position is not intended to show a lack of respect or value for the work our AUPE support staff perform.”

The news release includes charts showing that in 2015, Living Waters support staff had among the highest hourly wages for their positions compared to four other nearby school divisions.

Living Waters responded to interview requests by providing copies of news releases issued during the last week.

However, educational assistants (EAs) in particular have been asked to work fewer and unpredictable hours.