CUPE says it will be asking for a similar deal for higher wages for educational support workers in Medicine Hat following nine successful agreements reached between local unions and school districts across the province this week. More than 250 local workers are still seeking a collective agreement with the Medicine Hat Public School Division.--NEWS PHOTO BRENDAN MILLER
bmiller@medicinehatnews.com
More than 6,000 educational support workers across the province have voted in favour of higher wage settlements in nine collective agreements reached this week, however more than 250 workers with CUPE local 829 have yet to reach a deal with the Medicine Hat Public School Division.
Last week members with CUPE local 829 voted not to accept a proposed collective agreement that would include a three per cent annual wage increase over the next four years.
In a release last week CUPE said 235 out of 274 eligible members took part in labour board-supervised voting on March 10 and 11. The result was 79.1 per cent of ballots rejecting the proposal.
“They spoke quite loudly and clearly that that wasn’t good enough, and now we are going to take our bargaining team and go back to the table and try to get a deal that’s in line with other settlements,” said Lou Arab, communication rep with CUPE.
The nine successful deals reached between locals and schools districts will become a starting asking point for a similar deal in Medicine Hat, the union says.
“Now that nine educational locals have settled for a wage package that’s higher than the mandate, we expect that in Medicine Hat as well.”
The collective agreement itself was signed in February and drew controversy because five executive members of the local union, including its president, were placed under administration within an hour of signing the agreement with the school division.
This led to both MHPSD and the union filing “bad faith bargaining” accusations with the provincial labour board. Since that time the News can confirm that both sides are looking to suspend legal complaints and get back to the bargaining table
“Those complaints are now essentially in suspension. Either side can choose to bring them up again and push them but at the moment, it doesn’t appear that either side is terribly interested in that,” explains Arab. “I think, given the vote by our members rejecting the offer, I can’t speak for the school board, but there’s a strong possibility that both sides will consider the complaints to be moved.”
The MHPSD says it is also looking to move forward with negotiations. Division superintendent Tracey Hensel says the division respects that this decision reflects the concerns and priorities that educational support workers have.
“MHPSD is engaging with local CUPE administration to plan for the next steps and will provide public updates as necessary,” says Hensel.
There is currently no timeline on when both sides may get back to the bargaining table, though Arab says the union is hopeful for a timely negotiation.
