VANCOUVER - The Vancouver School Board is considering permanent closure of 12 to 13 schools in order to balance their budget. The BC Liberal government has increased funding to private schools while making cuts to the public system. After fifteen years of chronic underfunding, arbitrary occupancy rate requirements, downloading extra costs to boards and families, and reneging on their promise to seismically upgrade all schools by 2020, this government has clearly shown its lack of commitment to public education. 

NEW WESTMINSTER – Last week CUPE 409 President Marcel Marsolais, joined by members who work as custodians, spoke to School District 40's Operations Policy & Planning Committee about the detrimental effect of custodial service cuts and underfunding.

The local called on the board to immediately restore the full-day custodian position at New Westminster Secondary School (NWSS), noting that underfunding has led to staff shortages throughout the district.

Lots of kids and families visited CUPE 411’s new tent at the Chilliwack Classic Car Show.

CHILLIWACK – Despite the heat wave, CUPE 411 had lots of visitors at their tent for the
Chilliwack Classic Car Show on Sunday, June 28. 

This is the second year that the local, representing K-12 education support workers in Chilliwack, participated in the popular community event. CUPE 411 President Rod Isaac said that the local has been connecting with folks ‘slowly and surely.’ 

BURNABY – CUPE EAs are invited to participate in a survey by Kamelia Dousti-Stee, a Masters of Education student at Vancouver Island University, who is working on her thesis.  She is studying how teachers and educational assistants see consultation and collaboration in their everyday work.  Dousti-Stee is hoping to discover what is working and what additional supports are needed to improve and cultivate the relationship of EAs and teachers.

QUALICUM – CUPE 3570 President Lisa Paine is calling on School District #69 (Qualicum) to review budget cuts and the layoff of 16 Education Assistants (EAs).

“What will the effect be for students next September?” asks Paine.

Paine is concerned that EAs are required to take on more and more students. On any given day, an EA in a high school could be working with 10 to 12 students.  When they are not replaced, the already-heavy workload of other EAs is increased and supports for students are compromised.

NANAIMO –CUPE 606 President Rob Zver today called on the School District 68 (Nanaimo-Ladysmith) Board to amend its budget and properly fund education support services. Despite having a surplus of $1.7 million for 2015, the Board recently passed a budget that calls for large cuts to the facilities department including layoffs for caretakers, carpenters, electricians, maintenance and grounds workers.

VANCOUVER —The BC Liberal government needs to start consulting with the unionized workers who provide important services for the K-12 sector before setting the policy that directly affects it, says CUPE’s K-12 Presidents’ Council.

CUPE BC President Mark Hancock addresses delegates at the BCSTA annual general meeting.

VANCOUVER – School trustees and K-12 workers share a common interest in having the best public education system possible for B.C.’s children, CUPE BC President Mark Hancock told the annual general meeting of the British Columbia School Trustees Association (BCSTA).

The Support Staff Education and Adjustment Committee (SSEAC) is sponsoring an online survey of K-12 support staff training needs and interests.

Please participate in the survey to let us know what kinds of training and upgrading options would be useful to you.

CUPE K-12 members can fill in the survey by going to this link:

https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/ZZB5H36

BURNABY - A new report looking at office and clerical work in B.C.’s public school system offers key insight into how this important segment of CUPE’s membership has fared in the wake of a full decade of government-induced budget austerity and service cuts.