Custodial Workers at Two Calgary School Districts to Serve Strike Notice

CALGARY, Alberta--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The union representing custodial and maintenance workers at the Calgary Board of Education (CBE) and the Calgary Catholic School District (CCSD) will serve 72-hour strike notice today.

About 800 employees at the CBE, members of CUPE Local 40, voted 94.5% in favour of a strike last week. A further 350 employees of CCSD, members of CUPE Local 520, voted 94% in favour of a strike.

CUPE Alberta President Rory Gill said the union expects to walk out on Monday morning. Picket line locations will be announced later this week. There may be some impact on community events happening at schools over the weekend as workers will be in a strike position.

The workers join 4,000 education support workers already on strike in Edmonton and Fort McMurray. About 400 employees of Parkland School Division started limited job action yesterday. Other groups, including workers at Foothills and Black Gold school divisions, are in a position to go on strike soon.

The average school support worker in Alberta makes just $34,500. Many have gone almost a decade without a wage increase, a period of 30% inflation.

Gill said his members don’t want to strike, but they feel they have been left with no other options.

“Many of our members work two or three jobs,” said Gill. “Many live on the edge of poverty.”

Gill said the workers hoped the provincial government would respond to the strikes happening in Fort McMurray and Edmonton, saying a settlement there would likely prevent a strike in Calgary.

“Unfortunately, the province doesn’t seem to respect the role of education support workers. So that leaves us little option but to escalate the strike.”

Gill said custodial and maintenance workers play a key role in schools, keeping buildings clean and running well.

CUPE cannot comment on how the school districts will choose to operate in the absence of our members.

:clc/cope491