Students at Calgary high school to walk out in support of striking workers

A group of students at a southeast Calgary high school are planning a walk out on Thursday afternoon in support of striking school support staff.

The Canadian Union of Public Employees’ (CUPE) Local 40, who represent 800 striking custodial and maintenance workers at the Calgary Board of Education (CBE), say the students at Lord Beaverbrook High School will walk out at 2:10 p.m.

Union president Clay Gordon says the students have shown geniuine interest since the workers began picketing at their school on Monday.

“The students were really excited to support us and they were happy to support the custodial workers because they miss having them in the school,” he says.

Gordon says the workers want an increase in wages but they are also fighting for more funding for public education.

“To the see the students out there with us, knowing that they support us and they know that we are out there fighting for them, it is very heartwarming,” he says.

Around 2,000 education workers from across the province served up notices of strike action in early February and officially hit the picket lines last week.

They joined 4,000 more workers in Edmonton, Fort McMurray, and the Sturgeon School Division who are already on strike.

This is a developing story. More to come.