2 more Alberta school divisions reach tentative deals in school support workers strike

School support staff in Fort McMurray have ratified a new deal after months of being on the picket line. They'll be back in classrooms on March 19, 2025.

Two more Alberta school divisions have reached tentative agreements with unions representing education workers on strike.

The Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) reached tentative contracts with the Calgary Board of Education and the Parkland School Division on Monday.

School support workers from both divisions have been on strike for about a month. Around 350 Calgary Catholic School Division support staff have not reached a tentative agreement.

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On Saturday, CUPE reached tentative deals with Edmonton Public Schools and two school divisions in Fort McMcMurray after a months-long strike.

Fort McMurray school support workers will return to work on Wednesday after their deals were ratified on Monday.

Edmonton Public Schools members will vote Tuesday and return to work Thursday if the contract is accepted.

Calgary and Parkland workers will begin to vote on their deals on Tuesday and results will be announced Wednesday night.

If the contracts are accepted, Parkland workers will return to work on Thursday and Calgary employees will go back to school on Friday.

All agreements will last until August 2028.

“Education support workers have shown great courage and determination,” CUPE Alberta president Rory Gill said. “I’m so happy for them that they have won the respect they deserve.”

Alberta Teachers’ Association president Jason Schilling said: “Teachers are hopeful that the settlement of the Fort McMurray agreements, along with the tentative deals reached in other jurisdictions, will prompt immediate action by remaining school boards to settle with their striking employees.”