Calgary public, catholic school support workers reach tentative deals

Education support staff from Calgary catholic schools have reached a tentative deal with the school board on Tuesday.

The Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) Local 520 says they reached a four-year agreement with the Calgary Catholic School District that will expire in August 2028.

The union will meet on Thursday to ratify the deal and workers could be back on the job Monday morning.

Support workers from the Calgary Board of Education (CBE) could also be back on the job as soon as Friday after reaching a new tentative deal, their union said Tuesday.

According to CUPE, an electronic ratification vote will start Tuesday night for CBE workers. The results will be announced Wednesday night.

“All our local unions that have been on strike are scheduled for bargaining today or tomorrow. So we believe we’ll start seeing some deals pretty soon,” said CUPE Alberta president Rory Gill on Tuesday.

Tentative agreements reached in other on-strike districts

Similar events are scheduled for workers of the Parkland School Division, who will vote electronically starting Tuesday, and who could be back to work as soon as Thursday upon approval.

Edmonton Public Schools workers will vote on their agreement Wednesday. If approved, they will be back to work on Thursday.

Fort McMurray workers say ‘yes’

Collective agreements have been reached with both the Fort McMurray Public and Fort McMurray Catholic school districts, according to CUPE.

Workers will be back at work in both Fort McMurray districts on Wednesday.

The Alberta Teachers Association (ATA) says it is hopeful the Fort McMurray deal and tentative deals in other places will lead to immediate settlements with remaining school boards.

“The government’s interference in collective bargaining, together with its unwillingness to properly fund public education, led to this strike and delayed its resolution,” says ATA President Jason Schilling in a statement. “This was entirely avoidable.”

Calgary deal similar to Edmonton, Fort Mac negotiations

Like the agreements negotiated for workers in Edmonton and Fort McMurray, CBE and CCSD workers have the option to accept or reject new contracts with a term ending in August 2028, and a wage package higher than the original government mandate.

Gill says he’s happy more school districts are following in the footsteps of Fort McMurray and Edmonton.

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