Education Workers Release Results of Strike Votes, Serve Notice to Strike

FORT MCMURRAY, Alberta--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Education workers at both Fort McMurray School Divisions have filed notice to strike on Tuesday, September 17^th at 6 p.m. following the official release of the result of strike votes taken earlier this week.

99% of CUPE 2545 members (453 of 457) and 98% of CUPE 2553 members (405 of 413) voted in favour of taking strike action in strike votes held by both locals on September 10^th and 11^th. The Unions officially submitted the results this morning and filed the 72 hours advance notice to strike.

“Our members were quite clear. They have gone too long with out a wage increase while the price of everything skyrockets around them,” said Danielle Danis, President of CUPE Local 2559 which represent workers at the Fort McMurray Roman Catholic Separate School Division. “Workers across Alberta are waking up to the reality that this government has kept them down for too long, and we’re left with no other option but to strike for improvements.”

Both locals remain willing to meet with their employers to negotiate a fair contract and avoid a strike before the deadline, however their negotiation spokesperson told them in a recent email “Both would very much like to invite the Union back to the bargaining table, however we have no alternative at this point in time but to advise you that we are unable to move beyond the positions tabled most recently at mediation. We are in regular contact with GoA and at this time have received no indication of support for further flexibility.”

“We’d much rather be preparing to go to work next week instead of preparing for a strike,” said Lynn Fleet, President of CUPE 2545, which represent workers at Fort McMurray Public School Division. “But the reality is, too many of us also have to work second and third jobs just to make ends meet, and we’re sick and tired of it. You can tell by the support for the strike that our members aren’t going to take it anymore.”

If a deal is not reached by Tuesday morning picketing will commence at 8 a.m. at the following locations: Division Office, St. Martha School, St. Kateri Catholic School, Father Patrick Mercredi Community High School, St. Anne School, Christina Gordon Public School, Walter and Gladys Hill Public School, Fort McMurray Composite High School and Timberlea Public School. Picket locations will change daily for the remainder of the week.

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