School support staff: Gov’t pushing us towards strike
Posted September 15, 2013 6:55 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) – Optimism that a strike by school support workers can be avoided appears to be fading.
CUPE says potential strike action hinges on this week’s negotiations. “These next few days are absolutely critical,” says sector coordinator Bill Pegler.
“We are warning parents that there’s a danger that the government is pushing us towards a strike.”
He points out there have been 20 days of talks so far, with less-than-satisfactory results.
“Our members’ wages have lagged behind inflation since 2001. Our members are earning less than they were in 2001 when inflation is taken into account.”
He says workers deserve a four per cent wage increase over two years.
“For members who haven’t had a wage adjustment, we feel that what the government has on the table, which is literally less than zero per cent when you take concessions into account, is not on.”
Pegler says if it does come down to strike action, they’ll give parents as much advanced notice as they can.
Support workers include teaching assistants, school bus drivers and custodial staff.
