School workers threaten to strike
CUPE education workers say if their contract isn’t settled this summer, they may not be going back to school in September.
“If there isn’t a settlement forthcoming, we could be looking at full- scale job action in the fall,” said Bill Pegler, CUPE BC K- 12 co- ordinator. “Our provincial bargaining team has been meeting with the employers trying to get a deal since November and government has decided not to fund any increase in public education. They’ve said there is nothing for you.” CUPE members, which include education assistants, clerical staff, tradespeople, aboriginal workers, youth and
We could be looking at full- scale job action in the fall. BILL PEGLER CUPE BC K- 12 COORDINATOR
family workers, custodians and bus drivers, have already been participating in some limited job action in some districts, Pegler said.
CUPE’s contract expired in June 2012 and the last wage increase was in July 2009, Pegler said, adding the union is seeking wage increases of two per cent each year for two years.
The 2011- 12 school year was fraught with labour tensions, including the cancellation of many extracurricular activities and report cards. The year ended with a retroactive twoyear contract that expired June 30, 2013. The government’s stated goal is to reach a 10- year agreement with teachers.
“We’ve offered to meet any time, anywhere with the employer, with government. We’ve told them we’re available any time all summer to sit down and hammer out a settlement,” Pegler said. “They have indicated that right now they don’t have a mandate to settle.”
B. C. education minister Peter Fassbender said the CUPE strike vote and limited action will not affect students at this time and that these actions are part of the bargaining process.
“We continue to remain optimistic that the parties will be able to reach a negotiated agreement within the existing mandate,” Fassbender said in a statement. “We are also open to exploring a long- term deal.”
Fassbender’s statement said three- quarters of B. C.’ s public sector workers have agreed to contracts under the co- operative gains mandate, which allows wage hikes only if savings are found elsewhere to cover the cost. “The ministry encourages school districts to identify savings which could be used to fund modest wage increases for support staff as other sectors have done to be able to settle agreements,” he said.