Education Workers Appeal to EPSB Trustees to Call for Fair Wages

EDMONTON, Alberta--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Mandy Lamoureux, President of CUPE Local 3550, representing educational support workers, is making an in-person appeal for help from Edmonton Public School trustees at their board meeting today.

“The community need is clear - to secure proper funding from the provincial government,” Lamoureux said. “I’m asking you to sign an open letter with us, jointly calling on the provincial government to lift their wage caps from collective bargaining.”

Lamoureux asked all trustees and the superintendent to sign an open letter calling on Premier Danielle Smith’s government to remove the wage caps it has dictated to school division employers through the Provincial Compensation and Bargaining Office.

“These provincial wage caps harm the students, staff and families who rely on high-quality educational services, and they undermine division priorities,” Lamoureux said.

“The first division priority is to ‘build on outstanding learning opportunities for all students.’ This is impossible when 150-200 positions go unfilled every day. Hundreds of our students are losing learning opportunities as a result.”

Provincial wage caps also frustrate division priorities to “advance action towards anti-racism and reconciliation” and “promoting staff well being and mental health.”

“Your employees are struggling financially, have food insecurities, juggling multiple jobs, and facing burnout. Today I’m asking you to take action!” Lamoureux said.

Educational support workers voted overwhelmingly to strike on October 16 and provided strike notice on October 18. The provincial government interfered and imposed a Disputes Inquiry Board process, which will likely conclude in mid-December.

“I can’t stress enough how painful it is for our members to leave their jobs. We all do this work for one reason, the students. We simply can’t continue with wages that fall further and further behind while inflation rises.”

“Please help us. Please sign the letter.”

President Mandy Lamoureux is available for interviews