-

Second Edmonton School Trustee Quits, Backs Support Staff

EDMONTON, Alberta--(BUSINESS WIRE)--For the second time since the beginning of a strike by education support workers, an Edmonton Public School Trustee has resigned, citing support for the low paid workers.

On Friday evening, Ward C Trustee Marcia Hole made statements on social media announcing her resignation from the board, and supporting education workers.

In January, Ward D Trustee Trisha Estabrooks resigned from the school district in a similar manner, citing support for the strike and opposition to the provincial government’s underfunding of education.

Education support workers at Edmonton Public Schools have been on strike since January 13, 2025. In total, 6,600 education support workers are on strike at nine different school districts across the province.

CUPE 3550 President Mandy Lamoureux said the resignations speak to the growing consensus around the strike.

“We hear from Trustees, administrators, teachers, parents and students all the time. Everyone agrees that wages are too low, funding isn’t enough, and that the Alberta government needs to act to fix the problems in our classrooms,” said Lamoureux.

“I want to thank Trustees Hole and Estabrooks for standing up for education, and literally putting their jobs on the line to say what everyone is thinking: support workers deserve respect and a living wage.”

:clc/cope 491

Contacts

Lou Arab, Communications Representative
larab@cupe.ca | 780.271.2722

Canadian Union of Public Employees


Release Versions

Contacts

Lou Arab, Communications Representative
larab@cupe.ca | 780.271.2722

More News From Canadian Union of Public Employees

Ford Government passing the buck on university funding – students, workers and economy will pay the price

TORONTO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The Ontario government made a funding announcement today that will continue deep staff cuts, rising tuition fees and increased student debt. “The minister was long on scapegoating, but short on funding. Ontario has the worst university funding in Canada, and he’s passing the blame for his own cuts to other levels of government, and passing more and more of the costs onto the students, who are already graduating with record debt loads,” said Fred Hahn, president of CUPE...

CUPE: Federal unpaid work probe proposes more delays, self-policing for airlines

Ottawa, ON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The federal government's probe into unpaid work has delivered underwhelming results, and CUPE's Airline Division, the union representing 20,000 flight attendants at 11 different airlines, is concerned by the government's proposal to continue letting the industry police itself. "Flight attendants know unpaid work exists in the airline industry," said Wesley Lesosky, President of the Airline Division of CUPE. "Even airlines like Air Canada and Porter - who reluctantly...

Over 8,000 Albertans tell their health care horror stories

EDMONTON, AB--(BUSINESS WIRE)--A campaign calling for a “State of Emergency” in Alberta health care has received almost 25,000 signatures in three weeks on an online petition and over 8,000 stories and comments about the poor shape of the province’s health system. CUPE Alberta President Raj Uppal launched a new website (www.stateofemergency.ca/stories) today, publishing all of the 8,000 comments received by the union. “The response has been overwhelming and heartbreaking,” said Uppal. “Albertan...
Back to Newsroom