Who is on strike? Why are they on strike?
6,500 Alberta Education Support Workers are on strike in Fort McMurray (Local 2545 & 2559), Edmonton (Local 3550), Sturgeon County (Local 4625), Calgary (Local 40 & 520), Buffalo Trail (Local 1606), Foothills (Local 5040), and Black Gold (Local 3484).
The job classifications of these members include educational assistants, administrative assistants, library techs, food preparers, secretaries, interpreters, technicians, custodians, and maintenance & facility operators.
Education Support Workers are on strike because the Alberta government continues to push their wages down at the bargaining table, limiting what school divisions are allowed to pay them. Low wages are already causing recruitment and retention issues in the sector, leading to further staff burnout and putting support services for students at risk.
The average school support worker in Alberta earns just $34,500 with educational assistants earning on average $26,388. Many Education Support Workers have gone ten years without a meaningful wage increase. Inflation over that period has been about 30%.
Alberta has the lowest per capita education funding in Canada. Provincial education funding has not kept up with student enrolment, meaning school divisions are underfunded by the equivalent of entire schools.
Will the Education Support Worker strike expand?
Another 2,500 Education Support Workers in Alberta just recently voted yes to strike action with results of 85-95% voting in favour.
Strike votes took place in:
- Calgary Public: 800 members in custodial and maintenance
- Calgary Catholic: 350 members in custodial and maintenance
- Black Gold: 500 members who are Education Assistants and support staff
- Foothills: 300 members who are support staff
- Parkland: 400 members who are Education Assistants and support staff
The main issue driving workers to seek strike votes is low wages that are affecting their ability to continue providing quality public education.
Does the provincial government set wages when school boards negotiate with workers at the bargaining table?
Education Support Workers are supposed to negotiate wage increases with their employers,Alberta’s school divisions, but the province won’t allow it.
The province has ordered school boards to limit wage increases to well below inflation. The Premier and provincial Cabinet do this through the Provincial Bargaining and Compensation Office (PBCO). The PCBO not only sets wages for Education Support Workers, but all unionized public-sector workers, like teachers and nurses.
For example, this chart by Foothills School Division, shows the relationship between the workers’ bargaining team, school boards, and the province. The provincial government sets wages—not the school divisions, which is the main roadblock preventing a fair agreement from being reached.
The provincial government could end the strikes immediately by increasing education funding and lifting the wage mandates.
How does Alberta’s education funding compare to other provinces in Canada?
Alberta has the lowest public education funding in Canada on a per-student basis. The provincial government has a responsibility to keep up with population growth and inflation and should be budgeting accordingly. The Alberta government recently tabled surpluses and deviated from fulfilling main budget priorities, such as public education. If public education funding continues to be held back, school divisions won’t be able to attract or retain the skilled workers students and families need in our schools.
(Source: Alberta Teachers’ Association)
Will schools be shut down due to strikes?
Schools are still open but with far fewer staff and resources. With the provincial government issuing a Ministerial Order that removes the obligation of school divisions to offer an in-school learning option, some special needs students are being asked to stay at home. In our schools there is a shortage of resources to truly support students—especially those with complex needs. This shortage is only getting worse; it is one of the reasons Education Support Workers are utilizing job action to call on the province to fix the developing crisis in public education. Some schools are even operating with a 10% vacancy rate, meaning hundreds of support positions are going unfilled! Low wages are a significant problem.
Will there be picket lines at schools?
Picket lines will vary by school district. Striking workers will put up picket lines at select locations. Information will be distributed by striking members at picket lines to inform parents. Members of the public are always welcome to join workers on their picket line.
Picket lines will be family-friendly as much as possible. Education Support Workers are taking this action for students and public education. They miss their students who they care about deeply and want to return to school as quickly as possible with a fair collective agreement and fair wages.
How can parents support striking workers?
Parents can support striking workers and help end the strike by visiting the Support Education Workers website and taking digital action.
Being on strike for better wages and working conditions is difficult. Please consider telling these workers they are valued. Let them know it is recognized that their work in public education makes a positive difference for students in Alberta’s classrooms. Click HERE to share your message now.
We ask that you tell your MLA that you support public education, and they should too. Tell your friends, family and neighbours.
The provincial government could immediately end the strikes but won’t unless pressure from Albertans like you who support public education convince them to.