Tentative deal for Foothills School Division educational support workers; CBE workers ratify agreement

The last group of Alberta's striking educational support workers finally reached a tentative deal with the province on Wednesday.

Nearly all of Alberta’s striking educational support workers are planning to return to work after their unions reached tentative agreements with the province.

CUPE Local 5040 was the last of nine striking local union groups to reach a settlement.

The union was at the bargaining table on Wednesday with the Foothills School Division, which includes High River and Okotoks.

Members will vote on Thursday and Friday to ratify the agreement.

If the deal is accepted, those affected workers might return to work on Monday.

The Calgary Board of Education’s educational support workers are set to return to school Friday after CUPE Local 40 members voted 92 per cent in favour of accepting their settlement.

Anna McGarvie, an education assistant with CUPE 5040 in High River, says there should be even more support staff to help with the needs of Alberta’s children.

“A lot of kids are falling through the cracks,” she told CTV News from her Okotoks home on Wednesday.

Her teenage daughter Stella has Down syndrome and learns with the help of an educational support worker at her nearby high school, but not for the past several weeks.

McGarvie said her daughter inspired her to become an education support worker and says conditions need to improve for herself and her daughter.

“The concern for me is that there’s (been some learning) regression,” she said.

Education support workers made an average annual salary of $34,500, according to CUPE officials.

“No matter what sector we’re in, you know, people are struggling. There’s an unprecedented cost of living crisis in Canada, and it’s particularly acute here in Alberta,” said Rory Gill, president of CUPE Alberta.

Some local chapters have been on strike since late last year or early this year.

Details of deals reached have not been shared—only that wages have been increased and agreements will last until August 2028.

As of Wednesday evening, ratified agreements were in place for:

• Calgary Board of Education (CUPE 40)
• Fort McMurray Public Schools (CUPE 2545)
• Fort McMurray Catholic Schools (CUPE 2559)
• Black Gold School Division (CUPE 3484)
• Edmonton Public Schools (CUPE 3550)
• Parkland School Division (CUPE 5543)

Still to be ratified were tentative agreements for:

• Calgary Catholic School District (CUPE 520)
• Sturgeon Public Schools (CUPE 4625)
• Foothills School Division (CUPE 5040)