Here's what parents in Windsor-Essex, Chatham-Kent need to know about the education workers strike
Education support workers in Ontario have moved forward with a strike Friday — here’s how the local school boards are being impacted.
Workers represented by the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) including many education assistants, early childhood education workers, secretaries, clerks, IT, and other support positions plan to walk off the job after no deal was reached with the province during mediation Thursday.
See the Windsor-Essex and Chatham-Kent school board’s short-term strike contingency plans below:
- Greater Essex County District School Board (GECDSB)
- Windsor Essex Catholic District School Board (WECDSB)
- Lambton Kent District School Board (LKSDB)
- St. Clair Catholic District School Board
- Conseil scolaire Viamonde
- Providence Catholic School Board
All local school boards with the exception of the Greater Essex County District School Board and the French public board, Conseil scolaire Viamonde, are closed and have shifted to online learning Friday.
At GECDSB, CUPE represents secretaries, clerks, custodians, maintenance staff, Information Technology technicians, couriers and media services. At Conseil scolaire Viamonde, CUPE represents maintenance and janitorial employees. There is no direct teaching impact, unlike other boards in the region.
Education workers represented by the Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU) say they plan to walk out in solidarity with CUPE on Friday, but there will be no impact locally as no education workers in the region are members of OPSEU.
GECDSB says a plan is in place to compensate for absent employees, but is asking for patience from parents trying to reach the office and ask parents to leave a message if needed and someone will be in contact.
School buses will be operating as normal and board officials do not anticipate a picket line at any open schools. CUPE members are instead expected to demonstrate outside local MPP offices.
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