Why Are Education Workers Striking?
What’s Going On?
On Friday, November 4, 2022, many schools closed to make way for the CUPE strike. CUPE stands for Canadian Union of Public Employees, which, in this case, includes custodians, early childhood educators, education assistants, and administrative staff. To prevent this strike, the Ontario government passed the Keeping Students in Class Act, or Bill 28, which made all job action from the CUPE illegal on Thursday afternoon. As such, union workers who still choose to strike can be fined up to $4,000, which the union maintains will be paid for by them, potentially costing up to $220 million per day.
Why Are They Striking?
Recently, the CUPE has been requesting an 11.7 percent raise, equal to approximately $3.25 more per hour across the board. Under Bill 28, however, the contract sees only a 2.5 percent yearly wage increase for individuals making less than $43,000 per year and a 1.5 per cent increase for all other employees. The CUPE now says the walkout will last until Bill 28 is repealed, and their right to bargain is returned.
What Does This Mean for Students?
Depending on students’ school boards, students will have in-person education cancelled until further notice. Teachers are not on strike, which means that education may be delivered online, seeing as custodians, early childhood educators, education assistants, and administrative staff are necessary to make in-person education work. Nobody wants students to miss school, but it is unrealistic to allow such blatant mistreatment from the Ontario government.
What If I’m Supposed to Go on Placement Soon?
Lakehead’s education students are set to begin placements on November 10, 2022, and many have yet to learn where they are even meant to go. In an email sent out on Wednesday, education students were warned to incorporate flexibility into any future plans for the remainder of the term. At present, education students are expected to complete their full practicum without any issues, even if their classrooms move online, but this remains a developing situation. As of today, schools will be closed until at least November 11, 2022, resulting in education students missing a minimum of two in-person teaching days.
What Can I Do?
Right now, though it is frustrating to see students miss more school after the pandemic, it is crucial to support your local CUPE workers, as many of them make well below the average living wage. Support can be provided through donations to help pay fines against union strikers or through social media advocacy. Ultimately, now is the time to stand with the CUPE, who have enhanced the learning environment of our youth for decades.