Halifax-area school support staff to return to work Monday after five weeks on strike

Striking school support workers in the Halifax area have voted in favour of a contract agreement and will go back to work Monday, the Halifax Regional Centre for Education has announced.

The job action by 1,800 early childhood educators, educational programming assistants and other support staff followed a vote last month by members to reject a previous tentative agreement that was recommended by CUPE. They went on strike on May 10.

Although union locals for the province's other regional centres for education accepted that deal, which included a 6.5 per cent wage increase over three years, members of CUPE Local 5047 who live in the Halifax area said that did not cover the increased cost of living they've faced in recent years.

CUPE Local 5047 president Chris Melanson said the new contract will expire March 31, 2024, and doesn't include wage increases higher than what the other union locals accepted.

"That is something that we were not able to move government on," he said.

Melanson said the agreement has improved retroactive pay, better health and safety language, and brought casual workers into the bargaining unit.

He said the workers are looking forward to going back to work

"Our members do miss being with the children they support," said Melanson. "We recognize those children miss our members as well, so we're hoping that it will go as seamless as possible."

Parent reaction

Parent Kevin Cunningham said he's relieved the strike is over. His son, Lian, has a disability and was out of school.

"He's missed his EPAs, he's missed his friends and … he asks all the time when he's getting back to school," said Cunningham.

Cunningham said he's disappointed the strike went on for so long. He said he's looking for answers on why it lasted for almost six weeks.